Write My Name On a Sidewalk and Hope It Stays
by Lazy Tobi
Summary: Modern day P&P. One summer spent at home instead of doing an internship at her college sends Elizabeth Bennet's world upside down. She meets Mr. Dreamy, Mr. Just-No, and Mr. Nightmare, and her family just isn't helping.  Which role does Will Darcy play?
1. Of Whispered Nothings

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Oh, copyright, oh, copyright – where for art thou, copyright?  
><strong>Song<strong>: Touch by Natasha Bedingfield

**- Of Whispered Nothings -**

"Hurry up, Darce, we haven't got all bloody day!"

"Oh, shush, Charles! Take as long as you want, Will, dear!"

Darcy sighed as his friend and his sister waited at his door. He didn't particularly like parties (or people), but he was going to the party for Charlie's sake. Charlie had just moved into a nice neighborhood, nicknamed his house Netherfield under his sister, Caroline's, nagging, and was now going a party down the block (which translated to about four miles, as the block consisted of large ranches) for a college graduate. Charlie and his sister been invited by the friend of the graduate's father when he was making sure he was in the right neighborhood. Darcy only wished he hadn't been invited by Charlie; all he'd do was be a wallflower and get extremely pissed off at Caroline. Smirking, Darcy bent over and picked up a mewling cat, scratching the white animal's fur.

"Thanks for the donation; I'm sure Caroline will love you for it." Darcy said after a good minute of petting his cat, efficiently getting white hairs all over his navy blue button down shirt. The cat, Daisy (aka Sweet Pea), purred even louder at his compliment, somehow knowing she'd done something nice for her adoptive owner. Normally, Darcy was not on to look unkempt, but Caroline Bingley hated all men who looked disheveled. He wanted to keep her at bay for as long as he could during the night, so Darcy's normally meticulous attire was slapdash to an extreme. Though Darcy was still wearing something he normally would on casual days, as he had nothing else, he purposely buttoned up all his buttons, had his shirt half tucked in, let his black pants go a little low on his waist in pretend haste, and had just gotten white cat fur all over his middle. To top it off, Darcy had on an old pair of trainers, a five o'clock shadow, and had purposely made himself have bed head.

To say the faces of Charles and Caroline were priceless when Darcy opened the door would have been an understatement; Charles grinned, knowing his friend's antics to dressing out of the wont while his sister looked scandalized.

"The Darce man, letting himself go casual? Nice." Charlie laughed, snorting loudly.

"Will, come here, let me brush you off. Charles, this isn't a laughing matter! We don't have time; we need to get back…" Darcy made sure to steer clear of Caroline's hands, giving her the excuse of how unsightly it'd be if they were late even though he was sure no one would notice. He also brought up the subject that if she had allowed his two cats to ride in the same car as her they needn't have to pick him up at the hotel he was checked in at because he arrived earlier than them thanks to caffeine and sugar.

"Oh, you're right, as always, Will. Hurry up, Charles!" Caroline said, hurrying back over to the elevators of Darcy's chosen hotel, pointedly ignoring his other statement. Though both men thought the stairs would be faster, as Darcy's room was only on the third floor, they said nothing and went to join her.

"Want to keep my sis away, eh?" Charlie whispered, a knowing grin on his face. Darcy shrugged nonchalantly, hoping the car ride to the Lucas Lodge, as this ranch had been dubbed, wouldn't be too long. He liked his best friend well enough, but his sister sometimes made him wonder. Shaking his head at his silent friend, Charlie hoped Caroline would leave the poor sap alone for a while during the party. It wasn't soon enough for Darcy before the elevator ride ended (in which Caroline tried to say there wasn't enough room within it and press herself against him, efficiently scaring the two other passengers) and the car ride to the Lucas Lodge ensued. He was just glad he was able to get the passenger seat and Charles the driver seat before Caroline could try to con him into the backseat with her and Louisa Hurst, a married Bingley sister who'd stayed in the car while Charles and Caroline had retrieved him.

"Will, dear, do you smell my perfume? Doesn't it smell lovely?" Caroline asked after a bit, looking expectantly at the sliver of Darcy's face she could see. Though she hated men that looked untidy, she found Darcy could pull the look off quite well. In fact, he was starting to change her mind about men with stubble, at least; the clothing would need to be worked on during the party. She only wished his glasses for reading were ones he needed 24/7; they'd only help him pull off the sexy, young professor look she thought he was trying to pull off.

"It's too potent." Darcy replied evenly, with out remorse, wishing he couldn't smell anything. There was one thing Caroline Bingley wasn't… and that was innocent; the scent she had chosen seemed childish with her scarlet off-the shoulder low blouse, black pencil skirt, and strappy black heels. In his opinion, she shouldn't have gone for a light (but heavily applied) scent and instead have used one that was labeled "sexy" something. Darcy knew the scent Caroline was wearing currently was in his 17, going on 18-year-old sister's collection. He also wondered why she had dressed up, coming to the conclusion she wanted to impress him; the attempt was fruitless, however.

"Oh, Charles, those awful Bennets weren't invited, were they?" Caroline asked, looking a little putout by Darcy's opinion. Charlie's eyebrows leapt together and his expression, once close to laughter, showed his sudden befuddlement.

"Awful, the Bennets? Are you sure we're on the same page? That family is lovely." Charlie replied, though his mind was more on the eldest daughter instead of the family as a whole. Thomas Bennett, otherwise known as Tom, seemed a bit aloof but friendly and book-wise and was also the one that invited him to the party in the first place, and his wife, Faye Bennett, seemed a bit too materialistic and pushy for Charlie's tastes. She seemed amiable enough when she wasn't trying to get Charlie to date one of her daughters. The Bennett pair had five daughters, all of whom Charlie had liked to certain degrees, but his preference landed on Jane. Though he'd only met her once, Charlie was sure she was _the one_. Jane was also the reason Charlie had been hard-pressed to get Darcy to attend this party – to introduce them and get Darcy's opinion.

"Charles, I'm talking about the whole family, not just their oldest daughter. She, at least, seems a bit sane. The rest… well, they're a piece of work." Caroline snorted, lip curling. She couldn't understand how her brother seemed to make friends everywhere, or even tried to, since some people were absolutely atrocious.

"She's the reason I'm here, isn't she? That eldest girl?" Darcy asked at once, connecting the dots. Charlie didn't usually make him attend parties, but this time he'd seemed adamant against Darcy's not coming. There had to be a reason behind it. To confirm Darcy's speculations, Charlie turned a bit pink in the face.

"No." Charlie said, drawing out the 'o' part, knowing he was caught. Caroline just huffed, leaning back in her seat, rolling her eyes; Darcy smirked, shaking his head. His friend had just fallen for another girl. The car ride was silent until they arrived at the Lucas Lodge, a smaller one of Meryton's ranches in the neighborhood, and Darcy found out not only Charlie had nicknamed his place. On the few mailboxes they passed in the car to get to the Lucas Lodge (few meaning two), Darcy noticed names of properties presented on some sort of plaque next to or on them.

"Caroline insisted if we didn't name our property that we'd be left out." Charlie said, once he realized where Darcy's eyes had been trained on, as they slowly made their way up the driveway to the Lucas Lodge; the long driveway up to the house was already starting to fill with cars.

"Well, the last residents left with their plaque." Caroline huffed, giving no further explanation. Darcy just shrugged, the car lulled into silence once more until they pulled up and parked on the side of the Lucas Lodge's driveway.

"Let's find Dr. William Lucas." Charlie said cheerfully, killing the ignition and getting out of his car. His companions were a bit less than cheerful.

Across the street directly, the first ranch present on the right side of the road, the Longbourn domain was in a frenzy.

"Oh, Lizzie, put something a bit nicer on! Charlie, the dear, said he would bring his friend… it'd be a darn shame if that Charlotte Lucas got a hold of him. After all, she is so plain, and you, though not comparable to Jane, are a far cry above her." Faye Bennett chided her second eldest daughter, looking said girl up and down. Though Elizabeth was wearing something a step up from her usual shorts and t-shirt, Faye couldn't see why her daughter was against a nice skirt or dress instead of denim jeans and a tube top.

"Mum… I'm fine. I haven't shaved recently, anyways—"

"You can shave now—"

"The party starts in five minutes—"

"MU-UM! Lydia stole my perfume!"

"DID NOT!"

For once, Elizabeth was glad her younger sisters were fighting. It sent Faye away to break them up and leave her be.

"Saved by the bell? I think you look lovely, by the way." Jane cajoled, wrapping an arm around her younger sister's shoulders. Elizabeth snorted in a very unladylike manner Faye would have frowned upon, rolling her hazel eyes.

"Barely – and compared to you, I look like dirt. Though, Lydia and Kitty are coming? I wasn't aware." Elizabeth said, shaking her head at her sister. Jane, sweet Jane, was easily model-quality in looks, but she was currently in her second year of college, after getting her Associate's degree, studying how to become a teacher. She had the classic beauty looks: tall, thin, blond, and blue eyes. Elizabeth often wondered if her father couldn't give sperm to their mother, since all five Bennett sisters looked so different, and had to resort to having a sperm donor to have the girls; Jane and Lydia were tall blondes, Elizabeth and Mary were middle-height and brunettes, and Kitty, though also of average height, was a mix of blonde, brown, and red. All five girls also had different eye colors: Elizabeth had hazel, Mary had dark brown, Kitty had a mix of green and brown, and Kitty had green. Jane was the odd one out, though that wasn't a bad thing since it just added to her beauty.

"No you don't, stop berating yourself. You'll start to sound like mum soon. And, no, they're not; mum and dad don't think high school girls should attend a college graduate's party since there will most likely be alcohol." Jane chided, tapping her sister on the nose.

"I'm rather jealous of your ability to tan, Ellie-B. All I can do is burn up." The taller one sighed, after a minute of gazing at her sister's lightly tanned skin. While Jane remained either pale or red, Elizabeth could come in a range of colors when not sick.

"Don't call me Ellie-B. That's what they had to call me in primary because of Ellie-J, and you know that. Tanning might be hot now, but just wait until we're thirty and tanning is out once more. Then we'll see who's jealous of who." Elizabeth tried sounding scandalized, but with Jane, she couldn't. Jane just smiled, ruffling her sister's hair affectionately, before going back up to Mary's room to apply some last minute touch-ups. Though all three of the oldest Bennett girls were in college, only Mary remained at home because her college branch of UT was in Austin and they lived just outside of it. Elizabeth and Jane, however, went to the branch of UT located in Dallas; they had an apartment not too far away form the campus they shared. Because of this, Mary was obliged to house her two older sisters when they visited; she took the top bunk of the bed and Jane and Elizabeth, though a bit cramped, shared the bottom which had been Jane's until she moved out.

Elizabeth sighed as her father tried to calm down his two raging teenagers, who'd stomped right down the stairs and into his office when their mother told them they weren't going to Charlotte's party, in his own apathetic way. She was surprised her mother could even say no to her beloved Lydia's face; all the Bennets knew, to some extent, Lydia was their mother's favorite while Elizabeth claimed their father's esteem. Lydia was just like her mother in every way, from her naturally highlighted hair to her personality, and it would've been quite hard for them to not get along so well. Elizabeth had gotten on Tom's favorite list because of their shared literature likes and dislikes. Just like everyone knew the favorites, everyone knew the least favorite: Mary. Their mother constantly said she was the only plain girl, even if it was done affectionately so, and their father found her too studious and arrogant for his tastes.

It wasn't too long before Kitty and Lydia had been grounded (though no one knew why, as both parents would never enforce the grounded statement), sent to their rooms, and the rest of the Bennett girls were walking across the street and up the driveway to the Lucas Lodge. Five minutes later, they stood before the Lucas Lodge's door, Jane's hand reeling back after having pressed the doorbell. They were, perhaps, a smidge late as it was three minutes after six, but Elizabeth was sure they were not the last to arrive. After all, cars were still pulling up and parking along the driveway; Elizabeth wasn't sure when Charlotte had gained so many friends. She didn't mean to berate her friend mentally, but Charlotte wasn't the prettiest girl in town and most people went by looks and not personalities now-a-days.

"Hell—oh, hey, Lizzie, Jane, Mary! I'm so glad y'all are here. I had no idea when I said someone could bring a friend or two that those friends would bring friends, and this has really gotten out of control. I think I know maybe half of the people here." Charlotte opened her door, a droll expression on her face. She enveloped Elizabeth in a tight hug.

"Oh, Jane, Charles Bingley was wondering if you'd be here tonight. He's here with two of his sisters and some really hot guy who looks constipated or something. You can't miss them – I think the constipated looking one is the tallest in the room." Charlotte said, smiling at the taller Bennett over Elizabeth's shoulders. As the two best friends released one another and moved into the house along with Mary and Jane, so others could get in, Jane flushed.

"I, um… Charlie isn't _that_ important to me, Charlotte…" Jane stammered, looking around. She saw an exceptionally tall man, who looked vexed, nearby, but Charlie escaped her vision even though both she and Charlie were tall.

"Oh, you know he is. Go look for him, would you? I'm sure he'd piss himself in joy." Charlotte laughed, waving Jane away to find her Bingley. Mary had already wandered off, probably in search of the karaoke machine that could be heard all around the house, leaving just Elizabeth and Charlotte.

"Oh, Lizzie, there's Charles Bingley's friend, just over there. Maria is nearby, so we'll use her as cover. I think you'll find him quite a piece of work, Lizzie; he's essentially got tall, dark, handsome, and rich patented." The star of the party teased, looping Elizabeth's arm through her own and turning her friend around. Elizabeth blinked in surprised when she saw Darcy, for he was, indeed, quite striking. Granted, he looked like he wanted to be far away and like he was a total mess, but he was a hot mess.

"You're quite right, Char; he is quite the looker. Look at those gorgeous eyes." Elizabeth whispered, giggling slightly, letting her gaze slide past the man in question to Maria, Charlotte's little sister. Darcy had the prettiest set of eyes she'd seen in a while: a clear, conspicuous gray. Charlotte laughed, too, nodding.

"Thought so. He is so your type in the looks department. Now, if only he'd take that stick out of his ass…" Charlotte's comment sent Elizabeth into a peal of repressed chortles, as they were near Darcy, and his intense stare focused onto Elizabeth, immediately shutting down all her laughter. She found his eyes to be such a turn on.

"Oh, hey, Maria. Are any of your friends here?" Charlotte asked, distracting Elizabeth from Darcy's passionate stare (read: glare) onto the girl around her age.

"Not yet, but, Elizabeth, Jane is already dancing with Charles Bingley." Maria said, pointing to the pair with a small smile. The duo was easily distinguishable through the throng of couples; their light hair colors and skin tones matched with dark clothing and their height made them a simple find.

"I'm glad mother isn't here, otherwise she'd think they'd be getting married in a few months." Elizabeth said, causing all in her party to laugh. Charlotte and Maria nodded in agreement, also silently glad Faye Bennett wasn't present. If someone like Darcy or the two sisters of Charlie's got to hear what Faye had to say, well, Jane would have a snowball's chance in Hell (not Hell, Michigan – the fiery pit and what have you) to date Charles. Faye tended to speak more about materialistic desires than actual feelings, why she married Tom Bennett, actually, and most people were driven away from her daughters when they got wind of her. It was actually quite sad the boys who approached any of the Bennett girls believed Faye's ramblings about being rich or poor mattered to her daughters as well.

"Lizzie, he's staring at you—oh, no, wait, there he goes with one of Charlie's sisters… erm, Louisa, yes, that's it: Louisa. Oh ho, look at Caroline Bingley… not happy, that one." Charlotte said, breaking the silence that had come over the group once Faye had been spoken of, chocolate eyes following Darcy. He was dancing rather stiffly with the shorter, brunette Bingley sister that was already married; her taller, redheaded sister looked like someone had just forced her to swallow a lemon.

"Look at her face!" Elizabeth whispered, sending her company into a bout of renewed laughter. After the laughter died down, because Dr. Lucas was glaring at his daughter to receive her guests, the trio parted ways. Maria promised Elizabeth to try to keep Mary, who believed herself to be an excellent singer when she wasn't, from the karaoke machine for as long as possible. Elizabeth thanked the girl mentally as she had a turn about the room, watching the people present. Half of the lackadaisical looking men were already drunk, and Caroline Bingley was dancing with one, getting pawed and enjoying it (Elizabeth had to laugh at that). What caught her attention after than was Charlie and his friend standing in the corner by the refreshment table; with the saying, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back," being played like a mantra in her head, Elizabeth made her way over to the men. Now that she saw them together, she was stuck by the age difference between them; it was almost obvious Charlie was a good few years younger than Darcy, making Elizabeth wonder how they'd met.

"Oh, come on, Darcylicious, there has got to be a girl around here that's not dancing. I know you might have standards, unlike my sister, but come on. I've only seen men that have gotten tipsy already, no girls." Charlie was saying, not too quietly, to Darcy. With a shake of his head, mussing his hair up even more, Darcy surveyed the room quietly like he was ignoring Charlie.

"Don't call me that, Charlie, and, yes, I have standards… the only one who meets them is the girl you're fawning over. Jane, wasn't it? Although, she smiles too much for my tastes." He said, after a few minutes of silence, making Elizabeth smile. Hopefully, she'd be able to get some dirt on what Charles thought of her sister now!

"Oh, yes, Jane is such a beauty – and she does _not_ smile too much! She's like a ray of sunshine to me… clear, happy, and dazzling to the degree of needing to blink from the brightness." Charlie replied, with a smitten look on his face. Elizabeth pressed her hands over her mouth to hold back her laughter; Charlie Bingley, while a fine looker, was not much of a poet.

"… over there, her sister, Elizabeth. I know she meets your standards by looks – and that's all you've got going on right now, as you only know Louisa and Caroline. Why not go say hello and do a jig?" Elizabeth heard Charlie continue, after she knew she wouldn't laugh. Darcy snorted, rolling the gray eyes Elizabeth was growing to love.

"Please, Charles, my standards on looks are higher than that; and, besides, she already looks tipsy. Her disposition must not be too pleasant for me, either. Look, just get back to Jane, you're wasting your smiles on me over here." Elizabeth tried to look cool and composed as she poured herself a drink (of the punch that wasn't spiked, mind you), pointedly ignoring Darcy's stare. She could feel it on her back as she walked over to where she saw Charlotte standing.

"Charlotte! You won't believe what I just overheard a certain _someone_ say!" Elizabeth seethed, wishing she could crush the cup in her hand. Darcy had commented on looks standards, but did he even look at himself in a mirror before he came? It was absurd that he thought her looks below his standards when he looked like crap! Well, hot crap… but that was beside the point. Charlotte raised a pretty eyebrow condescendingly, eyes sliding from Elizabeth's approaching form to the decidedly male one she'd just been near and was running from.

"Let me guess, Will Darcy said something about he has better beer from wherever his pretty British buttocks is from?" Elizabeth stopped at Charlotte's accusation, eyebrows furrowing. It appeared as if Will Darcy was stepping on quite a number of toes.

"Not while I was there, but he did say I was below his standards in looks. And look at him – unshaven, hair uncombed, covered with white hair, shirt only half tucked, sagging pants—"

"Oooohhh, you're right, his pants _are_ sagging a bit. It's kind of sexy, don't you—"

"Charlotte! He's _not_ sexy, he's an obtuse ass!" Elizabeth replied hotly, flushing. The sagging, however minimal it was, _was_ sexy, especially on his type of waist. Will Darcy didn't have the triangular body of a bodybuilder, but the rectangular build of a guy who built up muscles by using them daily.

"Oh, right, obtuse ass who dislikes country slash American beer. Got it. What'd he say? Do you like his accent? I think it's sexy. Were you watching his lips, Lizzie? They're so divine and—"

"I love your bi-polarness sometimes, Charlotte, but now is not one of those. Either hop on my boat of the 'Darcy hate club' or hop on Caroline Bingley's boat with the 'Darcy is a sex god boat'." Once more, Elizabeth interrupted her friend, not wanting to hear the end of her sentence. She didn't want to look and find it true since attractive men were exceptionally hard to hate; it had to be a law somewhere that hating sexy men was difficult based on the fact their smiles, earnest or not, could melt hearts instantly or wear the stronger ones down over time. Elizabeth wasn't sure if Darcy _could_ smile, however, since he had yet to even give the slightest hint of one.

"Well, be glad it's only on the topic of men, Lizzie. I'll join you on your imaginary boat because sharing one with Caroline Bingley sounds like hell – make-believe or not." Charlotte sighed, smiling slightly. Both young ladies knew of her tendencies around men; if they had a winning smile (or, in Darcy's case, face and accent), she was easily persuaded by them… or mentions of them... or their actions… or just them in general, even if he was a jackass.

"I just… you know what, never mind. I'll wait until when you're not drunk on his good looks or some sort of alcoholic beverage…"

"I'm not drunk, Lizzie; I'm pleasantly buzzed. Speaking of attractive men, there goes Charlie and Jane. Let's go spy!"

As the night wore on, spying or not spying on Jane and Charlie (read: planning their marriage and fighting over who got to be the first godmother), Elizabeth found herself becoming nicely buzzed and being watched by Darcy. It unnerved her at how impeccably rude he could be; first, looking sloppy to a nice-ish event and then being snobby and boorish to everyone. And the staring! Elizabeth couldn't fathom why Darcy wouldn't stop staring at her other than making herself believe he must be so offended by her subordinate presence that he'd taken to glaring at her until either she or he departed. The first to leave was Darcy, along with Charles and his sisters, Caroline pressing herself against him in a front of drunken stupor; she seemed to miss or ignore Darcy's look of disdain. Jane left after she, Elizabeth, and the Lucases cleaned up their house; it was a sight to see their usually flawless house trashed by a supposedly nice party. Red plastic cups, snack foods, and other unmentionables were scattered everywhere; Elizabeth was glad the bedroom doors had been locked for the duration of the party.

After cleaning the westernized house and hanging up Dr. Lucas's stuffed animals back up on the walls, Elizabeth and Charlotte crashed in the living room that smelled too strongly of disinfectant and cleaning supplies; neither noticed the smells, being too tired and already a bit used to them to really care much. Morning passed, and it was half past three in the afternoon when Elizabeth woke up, groaning and holding her hand over her eyes. A moan next to her told her she'd just woken Charlotte.

"Good to know y'all sleepy heads are finally up. Elizabeth, you need to get going, girl. Jane came by around noon saying you and she both were invited to a dinner with the Bingleys that starts at five thirty." Dr. Lucas's voice made Elizabeth remove her hand from her eyes, looking around until she saw him. Although he looked sleep-deprived, he looked just as perfect as he usually did; both Charlotte's parents were people that always looked faultless. Or, that's what Faye Bennet always said… also, she seemed to think Charlotte had to have been adopted. While both her parents were fair, Charlotte had light mocha skin; her chocolate brown eyes, though perhaps a bit large for her head, complimented the tone very well. Charlotte was always trying to make herself beautiful (read: "wonderful" like her parents) and always wore make-up; perhaps her hair, naturally fizzy and curly, could be worked with… but she was beautiful. Elizabeth wasn't sure how her mother, and all the male population who called Charlotte ugly, could see her in the ways they did.

"Hmph. I bet Charlie asked her on a date and Caroline weaseled her way into it." Elizabeth grumbled, removing her gaze from Charlotte's father to the girl herself. Charlotte moaned something about shutting up and turned her back onto Elizabeth and her father, pulling a blanket over her head that hadn't been there when she fell asleep.

"No, actually, she said Charles invited her on an outing since Caroline is… 'not well' this morning." Dr. Lucas said, smiling wryly at the end. Elizabeth scoffed, rolling her eyes as she ruefully crawled out from beneath the blanket one of Charlotte's parents had placed over her while she'd been sleeping.

"More like drunk off her a—"

"Language, Elizabeth."

"Does arse work with you? Mum and dad are fine with it…" Elizabeth trailed off, seeing arse did not, in fact, work in the Lucas household still from Dr. Lucas's disapproving look. Every time she asked is they allowed 'arse', but it was the same reaction every time. Elizabeth didn't know why Charlotte's parents were so tight about language; she was sure Dr. Lucas cursed during an operation at least once, if not many times. Apologizing quickly, Elizabeth bid the Lucases farewell and went back to her own home that was much, much messier and noisier. Clothes were strewn about the hallway to the girls' rooms, along with make up and accessories, and Kitty and Lydia were still bemoaning about having to miss Charlotte's party. Jane was Elizabeth's savior, ushering her into the room they were borrowing before Faye Bennet could catch sight of her (disheveled clothing, messy hair, bags beneath her eyes, hung-over look, etc).

"So, what's the real deal behind this dinner?" Elizabeth asked after Jane shut the door and locked it. Jane just shrugged, looking a bit confounded.

"Charles said he was sure Caroline wouldn't feel up to going to a nice dinner, so he invited me as well as you. It's not a date or anything… I mean, even before Caroline dropped out, Louisa plus her husband were going – and still are." She said, making her sister pout. Elizabeth had wanted Charlie to ask her out on a date, not a… family dinner thing! Family dinners were the farthest thing from romantic alongside with little kid parties and places.

"And that Will Darcy? Is he comin'?" She asked, making Jane look even more perplexed. Elizabeth went to the closet, in search of something nice for the dinner, waiting for Jane to reply; she looked like she was trying to remember something beneath her confusion.

"I… no, I don't _think_ so. Why?" Jane said after Elizabeth had found a simple pale blue sundress to wear. It dawned on her that her elder sister had yet to hear of Darcy's pride, so Elizabeth filled Jane in on what was said by the man during Charlotte's party as she found clean undergarments and other supplies she'd need for a shower.

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean—"

"There was nothing to misunderstand, Jane; of course he meant to offend. Well, it probably wasn't for my ears, but still." Elizabeth interrupted Jane's doubts as she entered the bathroom adjoined to their room (Kitty and Lydia's room was also connected to it). Jane just shrugged, shaking her head, letting her younger sister take her shower as she only had an hour left before five. Elizabeth spent her shower wondering what Mr. Hurst, whom she hadn't met yet, would be like; if he married Louisa, he must not have good taste in… well, everything. Louisa, albeit pretty, probably behaved just like Caroline, and if Mr. Hurst married her because of her looks, he was a very shallow man indeed.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

At exactly 5:30 on the dot the doorbell to the Bennet household rang. Jane and Elizabeth scrambled to get to the door before their mother, both rushing to grab their things (Jane, a purse and Elizabeth, a sweater) as they did so. Even though they didn't reach the door first, Kitty got the door before their mother did; anyone, including one of their silly little sisters, was better than their mother.

"Jane! This isn't Charles Bingley!" Kitty crowed as Jane and Elizabeth hurried down the hall to the front door, both frowning exactly the same way in confusion. Jane donned a faint smile while Elizabeth scowled once they saw who was at the door… Will Darcy.

"No, but he is Charlie's friend, Kitty. He's going to this friendly outing with us. This is Will Darcy." The eldest Bennet girl explained, causing Kitty to look Darcy, Jane, and Elizabeth up and down. Two perfectly plucked eyebrows raised in disbelief as she did so.

"Friendly outing? Looks more like a double date type thing to me. I'm surprised Lizzie got the better looking of the two." Kitty said, grinning wickedly and running away before Elizabeth could retaliate with a good slap upside the head. Darcy just raised an eyebrow at the scene, drinking in Elizabeth's appearance with warmth. The sundress she wore fluttered around her knees, showing off slender, slightly tanned legs; though it was strapless, she had a white sweater to cover her shoulders in her arms should the restaurant be cold. Darcy was pleasantly surprised to not see a purse of any kind dangling from her arm or any make up painting her face.

"Louisa and Gerard couldn't make it tonight… Gerard isn't, ah, feeling well currently, either." He said, awkwardly placing his hands into the pockets of his black slacks. Darcy wasn't sure why, but Elizabeth Bennet showing up at her front door, slightly flustered and hurrying, in a sundress suddenly drew his interest in. Her caramel brown hair, which looked quite soft, was down in ringlets that reminded Darcy of how many flower girls had their hair done (1), and her eyes, those lovely hazel eyes, shone brightly with annoyance and amusement. Darcy couldn't bring himself to look away from her just like he couldn't at Charlotte Lucas's party; it vexed him to no end because he didn't know _why_ he couldn't look away. Elizabeth Bennet wasn't the prettiest girl in looks that Darcy knew, somewhat (she was more along the lines of an average beauty and he preferred the exotic kind, or so he'd thought), but she was the only woman he'd ever seen where he couldn't seem to place his attractions to. Usually, it was because of the woman's looks, but Elizabeth was different, somehow. Perhaps it was her eyes… he'd seen the irritation in them after eavesdropping on he and Charlie at Charlotte's party… there seemed to always be a passionate expression in her eyes.

"Erm, shall we go, then?" Jane asked quietly, not wanting to break the stare-down Darcy and Elizabeth were having. Both seemed too tense, too ready to take offense for Jane's liking.

"Well, if Mr. Darcy would move…" Elizabeth said stiffly, not liking the way Darcy was staring at her. His eyes were unsettling when upon her person. Immediately after her comment, Darcy turned around and walked back to the stalled car in their driveway, taking the passenger seat; Elizabeth just rolled her eyes, preferring to stick with Jane as she locked the door before joining Charlie and Darcy in Charlie's BMW in the back seats.

"Nice car, Charlie. How'd you afford it on a student's budget?" Elizabeth asked, smiling warmly at the driver and owner of the car as she buckled up, Jane doing the same. Charlie shot Darcy a furtive glance before answering.

"My family has old money from way back when… you could say we Bingleys are loaded." He answered jokingly, putting his car in reverse and doing a 180 turn. Both Elizabeth and Jane's eyebrows shot up, for they hadn't realized their new neighbor was rich (well, they had a feeling since the ranch he'd bought was rather large). The subject died and so did any signs of a conversation for the duration of the ride to the restaurant; the Bennet girls got worried when Charlie pulled into the III Fork's parking lot.

"Erm, Charlie, about this place… we can't…" Elizabeth started, anxiously eyeing what she could of Charlie's face in the rearview mirror. He looked puzzled for a moment before breaking out into a smile, laughing with mirth.

"You think we'll let you girls pay for dinner? I invited you both, so I'll pay for you both. It's common courtesy, is it not?" Charlie said, after his laughter died out, killing his ignition before exiting his car. He got the door for Jane, but Darcy completely ignored Elizabeth. Although happy that he didn't get her door, Elizabeth was a bit miffed at his actions, believing he felt his pride couldn't shoulder the "pain" of being near her.

Inside, they were seated fairly soon, and Jane and Elizabeth were quite hesitant at ordering just about anything. Charlie kept assuring them to order whatever they liked, but only Elizabeth noticed Darcy's cool glare and ordered what she knew she'd like, even if it was expensive. Over the appetizer, Elizabeth examined Darcy when she could. He looked completely different from Charlotte's party; Darcy was cleanly shaven, wasn't covered in white hairs, his pants weren't sagging at all… all in all, he looked _very_ nice and neat in his white polo shirt and black slacks. It irritated Elizabeth that he'd dress up with out looking like he'd hurried to do so for _Charlie's_ little outing thing but not Charlotte's party. When the entrées came out, Elizabeth found the barely talking Darcy too boring and started giving her other two companions all her attention. Charlie looked very fine, if not like a carrot, in a green polo shirt and black slacks; Jane had unknowingly matched him by wearing a light green blouse with a white skirt. They looked adorable to Elizabeth, both wearing a light shade of pink splashed across their faces as they talked animatedly to each other.

Under Charlie's wishes, desserts were ordered and shared between he quartet; Jane and Elizabeth shared a chocolate ganache cake while Charlie and Darcy got their won desserts (Charlie got the same while Darcy got cheesecake).

"And what would you believe to be a good way to socialize, Elizabeth?" Darcy asked after the plates were served with fresh forks. Charlie and Jane had just been debating on the best ways to get to know people, and she was surprised to know Darcy was listening let alone cared for her opinion. Charlie thought a dinner with a group was the best way, but Jane preferred a smaller party of two. Elizabeth smirked slightly at Darcy, eyes dancing with glee.

"Parties… and dancing, even if your partner isn't up to your standards." Darcy stared into her eyes unabashedly even as she spoke his words, but Charles looked quite surprised. Jane pinched Elizabeth's elbow below the tablecloth, sending her a light frown, before smiling and trying to get Charlie's attention away from the loaded subject.

"And why is that?" Darcy asked, a bit quieter than before to not accidentally interrupt Jane and Charlie's conversation. Elizabeth scoffed, wanting to laugh at his arrogance. Of course someone with money wouldn't see the need of parties to socialize in parties!

"Well, for one, you get some one-on-one time with someone, right – with the dancing. Second of all, parties loosen _almost_ everyone up… and people mingle. Now, unlike at your balls and such, you can really let loose at parties." Elizabeth sneered, letting Jane nibble a bit at their piece of cake. She knew she'd receive almost the whole dessert soon; her sister was far too dainty and distracted by Charles to care much for it. Darcy's eyebrows knitted together for a minute before he shrugged.

"But what if that partner is someone you'd rather not converse or have some one-on-one time with? And who mentioned anything about balls? All balls are meant for is tight-arse folk who fancy themselves important enough to gossip." He replied, causing Elizabeth to glower frostily at him. From his first question, she immediately assumed it was a jab at her meant in revenge from her jab at him.

"Well, then, you'd better pray to God that dance doesn't last long and that it's not a slow dance. Yes, that's why you go to balls, isn't it?" Elizabeth jeered, not liking how Darcy's eyes lit up with laughter until she made a punch at him. After her last comment, he remained silent for the rest of the night; it was a change Elizabeth wholly welcomed. After the bill was paid and they were back into Charlie's car, Elizabeth made sure to sit behind the driver's seat instead of behind Darcy again. Although she could see him staring at her now, it wasn't as creepy as knowing he was watching her from the side view mirrors. It still ticked Elizabeth off that he stared so blatantly at her. The girls had to sidestep their mother, who'd heard Kitty's double date comment from earlier, to run to the safety of their shared room. Mary was, surprisingly, out for the night so they had it all to themselves as they changed.

"Charlie is so handsome, Lizzie! And he's like every man should be… smart, handsome – of course, he has nice manners… funny, cute… oh, Lizzie! He's perfect!" Jane gushed as they changed into their PJs, still blushing slightly. Elizabeth had to laugh at her sister's zeal, happy for her that she'd found Charlie. Now, if only he grew a pair and asked her out on a date…

**A/N**: _… So, yeah, another modernized P&P FF, lol. Hope y'all like it so far… and I hope I'm not shoving my views of what the characters look like down your throats. I know everyone has different views of the characters and everything… and if you're having a hard time envisioning what they look like, most of the cast will look like the 2005 movie version cast – except for Charlotte, m'mkay? (I prefer the 2005 cast but the 1995 way of TV-ifying the book… I wish I could combine them both.)_

_Just to warn you readers, there will be cussing, perverted moments, etc. I know that sort of thing will offend some people, so I'm telling you in advance. If it bothers you, please don't say, "Don't make them cuss," or something asinine… my story = my dialogue (which means Darcylicious will make frequent appearances because, well, I love that word/name), etc, 'kay? Good. xD Oh, yeah, and if I spell Austin (Texas) as Austen, please correct me; ever since reading P&P, I've been switching the 'i' and 'e' just about every other time I write Austin._

**Edit**_: I was informed my break lines weren't coming through, so all y'all readers will have noticed, hopefully, the __– (Crappy Break Line) – __break line thing. I've no idea how to get a proper break line, or whatever the line is called, in there…. So, please deal with my ignorance and stupid-looking wanna be break line, lol. Sorry for all you watchers who probably got informed of a "new chapter" being published… or, like, five; I was trying out a few things before settling on this._

_~ Tobi_


	2. For The First Time

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Pride and Prejudice _zombie_ _author_ anyone?  
><strong>Song<strong>: Falling For The First Time by the Barenaked Ladies.  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Yay! :D Darcylicious is supposed to be a bit of an odd comic relief, so I'm glad you find it as such, lol.  
><span>x19x<span>: Aa, my bad. Thanks. Mmm, I guess because purses are annoying to me… I didn't really think about that when I wrote it. Being different, perhaps? Sorry. Why would you think he'd find it annoying she didn't have a purse, if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious.  
><span>Life swings like jazz<span>: Thank you. :) Really? I've only seen conversations between them all playful and such, with a Jane fight as an exception when Darcy is trying to mend everything. I'm glad you're looking forward to this.

**- For The First Time -**

"Lizzie Bennet seems bent on hating you, mate." Charlie chortled as he pulled out of the Bennet driveway. Darcy snorted, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair.

"I can't fathom why, though; I was decent to her tonight." He said, sounding resigned. The one girl who took his interest wanted nothing to do with him… or to do things to him that he wouldn't enjoy. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation. Charlie snorted this time, rolling his blue eyes.

"After she heard your comment at Charlotte Lucas's party? I'd be pretty hell bent on hating you, too." Charlie laughed mirthlessly, not knowing why Darcy cared so much. He knew Darcy to not take a liking to many people, and if someone was geared to loathe you, you really couldn't take a liking to them. Charlie also wished he had brought up a different conversation that could lead to Jane, as he knew this discussion was taking a turn for a long one.

"You know your bloody sister was trying to bed me all night! How could I be in any mood for anything? Just drop it Charles, and get onto your real target." Darcy sighed, crossing his arms. He didn't want Charlie to think he had any preference to Elizabeth Bennet because he was trying to convince himself he didn't. It was laughable that he, Fitzwilliam Darcy, could fancy some girl in a little town outside some weird capital of Texas; anyways, it'd only be a summer fling if he did happen to find someone fetching… he was going back to Dallas in the fall to start his internship at a dental office. After that, Darcy was pretty sure he was going back to Pemberley to find work.

"Fine, fine. What did you think of Jane? Isn't she marvelous?" Charlie said, grinning from ear to ear. He thought Darcy's annoyance was directed at him beating around the bush and not personal problems. His grin started to fade with every minute of silence that ticked by from Darcy.

"She doesn't seem to like you Charlie, not like you like her. Also, Jane seems to be an indecisive person that relies heavily on what her sister says." Darcy said, after a few minutes, thinking back to the dinner. He'd barely spent any time doing what he'd gone to do (watch Jane interact with Charlie) and had spent nearly the whole time trying to figure Elizabeth out. At his comment, Charlie looked befuddled, a frown fully replacing his grin.

"Really? I fancied that she liked me… well, there is that block barbeque she invited us to in two weeks that her family is hosting. I think we'll go."

"You're deciding for me?" Darcy asked, giving Charlie a light-hearted glare. For some reason, he didn't mind as much as he probably should have; Darcy blamed it on being full and sleepy, not at all thinking of seeing what Elizabeth wore for casual shindigs.

"I rather like you when you're all burnt up. It's hilarious. Oh, by this, I mean they do have a pool and such." Charlie cajoled, beaming. Darcy scowled at the mention of a pool, hoping Caroline wouldn't be coming with them.

"Caroline is coming with, too, along with Gerard and Louisa."

"Aren't you a riot."

"Darn straight I am."

_- (Crappy break line) -_

The two weeks between the dinner with Charlie and Darcy and her family's barbeque passed quickly for Elizabeth. It seemed as if every day Jane was going out with Charlie, and Elizabeth just _had_ to go or else Jane would feel horrible. While Elizabeth didn't mind being a third wheel around Charlie and Jane, she did mind being a third wheel along with tires four and five (Caroline and Darcy, respectively); it was almost unbearable for her. Darcy was always silent and staring at her while Caroline tried to, incessantly, get his attention or to get him to talk; Charlie and Jane seemed to be in their own little world on these little five-people group outings. So far, there had been four dinners and three lunches; Elizabeth, thankfully, had only attended the dinners that Darcy tended to not appear in. She'd only seen him twice over the two weeks, both times Caroline was there, too, and she was quite pleased.

"Lizzie, go to the gate and accept people." Faye ordered after Elizabeth and Jane had separated on the deck. The girls had taken turns putting sunscreen on each other's backs and shoulders, Jane needing it more than Elizabeth.

"You mean go see if Charlie is here yet and tell him where to go?" Elizabeth asked, smirking. Charlie was the only person on their "block" that hadn't ever attended a Bennet summer barbeque yet. Faye just shooed Elizabeth away, giving Kitty and Jane things to carry to the refreshment table set up by their pool; the second eldest girl just laughed to herself as she went around their house, stopping in shock when she rounded the front corner. Charlie was early, and Darcy was at their gate, trying to open it the wrong way. Biting her lip to keep her bubbling laughter below, Elizabeth jogged up to the front gate, glad their driveway wasn't very long, beaming at Darcy when he looked up in confusion.

"You're doing it wrong." She said, unable to keep her laughter down any longer when he leaned back from the gate, head cocked to the side in confusion. If he weren't such a jackass, Elizabeth would've found the motion adorable.

"Pardon?" Darcy asked, hearing Charlie get out of his car behind him.

"Hello Lizzie! Darcy, Lizzie's face is a little higher than tha—OW, blimey, mate! I was just kidding!" Charlie had called out to Elizabeth, and then started muttering to Darcy when he got to his friend's side. Darcy had promptly elbowed him in the ribs upon hearing his untrue words. Elizabeth, ignorant of the words mumbled, laughed at the sight anyways, tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes.

"Hello, Charlie. Darcy here was trying to push the gate open while you have to pull it, see. I told him he was doing it wrong when you came out. How long has he been struggling?" She said, once her laughter had been contained. Her words made Darcy look down, coloring slightly, and sent Charlie into a bout of laughter.

"We just got here."

"Just got here? What are you on, Darce? You've been trying for at least five minutes! I'd know, since Caroline was disgusting me with comments on your bum."

"Shut up."

The exchange between the men sent Elizabeth into uncontrolled laughter to where she had to lean on her knees to keep upright. Caroline, tired of being in the car, exited it, scowling deeply.

"I do say, Eliza, that you seem to want to be showing off today. This behavior is certainly unladylike, you know." Caroline sniffed, going to Darcy's side. Elizabeth looked up, laughter catching in her throat, confused; then, she realized she hadn't put on any sort of cover-up over her bathing suit. A shudder passed down her sine as she glanced at Darcy and Charlie, suddenly wondering what comment the latter had made to make the former jab his ribs harshly.

"Ah, you see, I saw your little situation and felt the need to help Darcy's poor soul. I hadn't thought of a cover-up, only of how foolish y'all looked. But, Caroline, don't you seem to be, ah, a little _impressively_ dressed? All designer labels, correct?" Elizabeth said, smiling sweetly. Darcy smiled slightly at her jibe at Caroline, who didn't catch it, herding both Bingley siblings back, so he could open the gate the right way with out hitting either of them.

"Now that you've figured out how to open the gate, I'll tell you what to do. Y'all just pull up next to my old man's pick-up and head 'round the back, okay? The rest of my family is back there. Now, I'm heading in to find my cover-up. See you soon." With that, their hostess bounded back to her house; Darcy tried to keep his eyes off her and mostly succeeded. He was a man, after all, so any scantly clad figure he could appreciate would be valued. Except for Caroline's, since she'd get the wrong impression, now that'd be a dreadful position to be in.

"I was only kidding before, Darcy, you know that. No need to get violent." Charlie said as he climbed back into the driver's seat. Darcy shrugged, going to the passenger's seat, ignoring Caroline's question of, "What comment?" Charlie also waved her off, saying it was nothing. He was confused as to why Darcy had quickly taken offense to his comment, but soon thoughts of seeing Jane in a bathing suit invaded Charlie's mind, pushing Darcy's questionable behavior to the back of his mind. In no time at all, their party of five (Louisa had ridden in Gerard's lap to fit in) had parked next to a dirty, beaten red truck and walked around to the back of the Bennet's house. Faye Bennet greeted everyone but Darcy warmly; Elizabeth and Jane soon came over to get rid of their mother.

"Sorry about her… oh, look, Charlotte's here! I'll leave you guys be, then…" Elizabeth, just as soon as she got there, left. Darcy felt a bit putout, but he didn't know why. Like she'd gone off to do earlier, Elizabeth had donned a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, completely hiding her slender figure, so Darcy couldn't fathom why he'd want her to stay. It vexed him greatly.

"Mum! Mum! The Red Coats are coming here! Their manager, Forster, wants to get married in Austin, so they'll be here soon!" The two youngest Bennet girls swept past them, only noticed by four of the six, but their words struck a chord with Darcy. Immediately, his blank face turned into one of disgust, and he quickly shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked over to the shade of a nearby tree. The Bennet's pool was in the concrete slab behind their house that served as a patio, but trees lined the width of it and a paddock expanded behind it. Chairs littered the patio everywhere, and Thomas Bennet was tending to the grill in the shade of some trees to the right across from Darcy. The refreshment table was tucked neatly against the back of the house, napkins and other light objects beneath a paperweight or something along the same lines to keep from flying away.

"Look at him, already revolted by us 'country hicks'." Charlotte whispered to Elizabeth, nodding at Darcy as they sat down in some chairs near Tom. Elizabeth spared a glance across the poor to see the man in question, brooding in an irritated manner between two trees, and scoffed.

"I wonder why he came. Look, he's not even in swimming trunks…" She said, turning her back to the mentioned. It was because of him and his eyes, which she'd felt on her back when she'd gone to put on a cover-up, that she'd donned what she had instead of her original outfit of a denim skirt and vest. Elizabeth didn't like the idea of him watching her so scantly clad.

"Oh ho, you're just sad because you won't see his manly—oof!" Charlotte teased, cackling even when Elizabeth shoved her out of her seat.

"I'm pretty sure anyone who'd be disappointed is you and Caroline Bingley. She dressed in all designer wear to impress him, I think. Charlie and Gerard Hurst, Louisa's husband, are the only two of their party who is dressed for a normal summer pool party." Elizabeth said, feeling her face grow warm. Charlotte noticed and waggled her eyebrows, but dropped the Darcy subject; she found it hilariously cute how in denial Elizabeth was.

"So, Mr. Hurst kind of looks like Hugh Jackman, doesn't he? Meeeow." Charlotte laughed, rolling her eyes at Elizabeth to show she wasn't serious. Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at the now shirtless Gerard and studied his face for a moment. Sure, his hair was styled the same and they had the same jaw structure, but his brow was too small and both his hair and eye colors were off.

"Kind of it the closest way to put it. He loves playing cards and is, essentially, a couch potato. Look, you can see signs of a beer gut forming, and—"

"Liz-Biz, please. I know you study people, but all that gross stuff like a beer gut and what not are things I'd rather not hear. Awww, look at Charlie! Even if he's that small, I still reckon he can carry Jane over the threshold when they get married." Charlotte interrupted Elizabeth, pulling a face. Like Elizabeth hated it when Charlotte went on about the good-looking male population, Charlotte hated it when Elizabeth pointed out every flaw she could in a person's appearance. Elizabeth smiled faintly watching a newly shirtless Charlie cannonball into the pool and start to play with Jane. Gerard had just grabbed a bed float and was floating aimlessly, and Caroline and Louisa were sunbathing and chatting amongst themselves. Slowly, the chairs were filling up with other people living near them and Faye's sister and her family showed up as well.

"You girls mind not talking about the marriage of one of my girls? I'd much rather keep them all to myself, you know." Tom commented dryly, smiling at the pair of girls talking near him; they beamed back at him.

"But dad, can't you see he's smitten and that she is, as well?" Elizabeth teased, and the answers she expected weren't what she received.

"I know we can see it… but can he? We know her character, but Charlie doesn't know her that well—"

"Please, Charlotte, she's seen him six – now seven – times in two weeks!" Elizabeth interrupted hotly, frowning. Charlotte looked over to Tom for help, knowing his seconding her words would help convince Elizabeth.

"Jane is a… shy girl, Lizzie-Bell. We know her traits because we've grown up with her, and seven outings – all of them containing four or more people – won't make him understand that this is about as… obvious as Jane will get." Tom sighed, only meeting his daughter's eyes when he could. Now, charming as he found Charlie, how he loved Jane, and seeing them together really was nice was not enough good sentiments for him to burn the dinners he was preparing for thirty or so people. Elizabeth's mouth dropped open as she looked swiftly from her best friend to her father, not wanting to believe them; however, she soon found herself feeling depressed as she realized it was true. Jane was very much an introverted person, and though she was an emotional person, she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve until she was alone (or with Elizabeth).

"But, but… he's got to see it…"

"Perhaps he doesn't, Lizzie, and that's why we'll make sure he does. Okay? Cheer up. I know he means the world to Jane, but he doesn't to you, right? Right. So, let's go join them and play a round of chicken, sweetie."

Tom smiled softly as Charlotte, like a mother hen, prodded at Elizabeth until both had removed their excess clothing and had joined the growing number of people in the pool. Soon Jane and Charlie were conned into playing chicken as a team with Jane on top; Tom chuckled when he saw how red both their faces were.

"Young love, I hope. His family has more money than we could ever make in a life time." Faye commented, sidling up to her husband's side. Tom snorted, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders. He knew Faye, though quite materialistic, only wished the best for Jane and the rest of her girls; Charlie just happened to be the best around since Darcy was a prick. Tom also knew she'd accepted his marriage proposal on the same thinking (the best for herself materialistically wise), but he knew she loved him now. Their family, though a bit dysfunctional and plain insane, was indeed a loving one… in their own, strange way.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

The barbeque ended with out much Bennet drama, which was a good sign for Elizabeth. Mary had only once tried to sing karaoke, which Tom stopped after one song (Mary cried, but he comforted her not too long after she started), and Kitty and Lydia didn't make fools of themselves. Well, not really - they just wore very revealing swimming suits and were teases to one of Charlotte's younger brothers (all of her younger siblings besides Maria had been sent to a relative's house when Charlotte had her party). Jane and Charlie had spent the whole party together after Charlie's arrival, and Charlotte had worked some of her match-making magic on them since, by the end of the night, they were holding hands and had exchanged cell numbers. Elizabeth was sure Charlie would call Jane before too long for a date. Darcy had even stayed away from her (and, basically, everyone), brooding most of the get-together away amongst the trees.

The next morning, Faye and Tom were only _slightly_ hung over; Jane had to make breakfast instead of the amazing duo. It wasn't bad since Jane's omelets kicked their omelet's arses, and by the time they were done, Taylor Swift's voice could be heard from Jane's vibrating pocket. While Jane excused herself, Tom and Elizabeth picked up the dirty dishes, smiling at each other.

"Ten bucks that it's a dinner date." Elizabeth whispered over her plates, meeting her father's gaze gamely.

"Ten bucks it's a movie date." Tom murmured back. They shook on it after depositing the dishes into the sink; after that, Elizabeth started the washing while her father put them into the dishwasher. No sooner had Elizabeth given her father the first plate did Jane come back into the kitchen, smiling softly.

"Who was it? Chaaaaaarlie?" Lydia crooned, smiling impishly. Jane flushed at the mention of Charlie's name, shaking her head vigorously.

"It—it was Caroline, Lydia! She's asked me over for lunch. Dad, could I borrow the truck? It's a five mile commute, and—"

"Certainly not, Jane. Just take one of the horses. Lord knows that Lucky Star, that old bean, needs the exercise." Faye interrupted her daughter, waving her hand. Elizabeth looked up from her dishes out the window that was above the sink, gazing up at the dark sky that was approaching.

"But mum—"

"No buts about it, Elizabeth. Jane will take Star and that's the end of it." Faye interrupted, waving off Elizabeth once more when she opened her mouth.

"Her way or the highway, Lizzie-Bell. Besides, the truck needs a jumpstart or something; it's dead, won't start or anything. Hopefully, if she's lucky, Jane will miss the rain when she goes." Tom said quietly, shrugging. Elizabeth gave him a tight-lipped smile, praying silently that his sister would miss the downpour that was coming.

Unfortunately, when twelve noon rolled around and Jane set out, riding Lucky Star, the rain started right after she'd been gone for five minutes. Faye was thanking her lucky stars (no pun intended), since Charlie had a men's day out planned for the day, that Jane would now have to wait out the storm and would get to see him; Elizabeth, however, was anxious since the rain, as soon as it started, was really coming down.

"I hope the stray dogs and cats falling down won't hit our Jane." Tom said, coming up from behind Elizabeth as she stared out a window in their den, taking her shoulder in his wide hand.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny, Papa." Elizabeth sighed, rolling her eyes. Trust her father to make some witty remark while she was worrying her guts out! Tom just smiled, shaking his head, standing with his daughter for a while before going back to his study. As the day passed, the rain didn't let up, and right before dinner, Jane called saying she was spending the night with the Bingleys; Faye was ecstatic at the news and baked a cake. Elizabeth, after she'd eaten dinner and cleared the table, made plans to wake up around ten and pay the Bingleys a visit so Jane wouldn't have to come back home alone. Even though she wasn't a fan of riding horses, she'd do it, for Jane.

At exactly 9:30 in the morning, Elizabeth woke up and dressed for the day, wearing a simple orchid colored shirt and gray skinny jeans plus her trainers. Only Mary and Tom were up when she went to the kitchen to eat breakfast; their father had made bacon but nothing else. Chuckling slightly and chiding her father softly, Elizabeth got herself a bowl of cereal and sneaked a few pieces of bacon for her breakfast. She'd barely begun eating when the phone rang, so Tom answered it.

"Hello? … Ah, hello, Charles. Yes, yes… oh, my. Really now? I'm sorry, but my truck won't start… Thank you, you're very kind, young man. Ah, no, Dr. Lucas is a surgeon, not someone Jane should be seeing. Call Mr. Jones, he lives a street over, this is his number…"

With a clatter Elizabeth's spoon dropped as she eavesdropped on her father's conversation, eyes wide as she turned to face him. Jane was sick? Their wretched mother… the stupid, old truck… Cursing inaudibly, Elizabeth quickly finished her breakfast at a breakneck pace, not wanting to delay in seeing Jane. She was sure that those arrogant people, minus Charlie, would corrupt her sweet sister if she stayed much longer.

"Good morning, dear. I'm sure you're happy to know Jane is sick with a nasty cold, and, should she die, she got that way under your orders in pursuit of Mr. Bingley." Tom was saying as Elizabeth dashed out her door, yelling a farewell over her shoulder. In her haste to get to Netherfield, she didn't mind the puddles and mud clots that checkered their driveway to the street, only minding the yucky feeling of doused shoes and socks. Elizabeth, having not run for a while and having started out in a sprint, didn't make it very far along the cobbled road before she had to stop and catch her breath.

"God, sometimes I hate living in the country…" She sighed after a minute of leaning on her knees, wheezing. Shaking her head, Elizabeth straightened her spine and speed walked the rest of the four or five miles to Netherfield, wrinkling her nose when she looked down at her feet. Mud coated her jeans around her ankles and clogged up her shoes, and she was sure there was a spray going up her back.

"Lovely, just lovely. Oh well, I don't need to impress anyone, anyways… I'm only going to see Jane…" Elizabeth muttered to herself, not quite able to place why she suddenly felt uneasy about looking so slapdash. All the people who'd see her were Caroline, Louisa, Gerard, Charlie, Jane, and Darcy; surely, she shouldn't care to disappoint any of the Brits… but she couldn't shake her feeling that she should try to clean up a bit.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"Alright, yes, I'll take care of her. Don't worry – and thank you for Mr. Jones's number, Mr. Bennet. Okay, yes, good bye now."

"Will, where are you going?" Caroline's voice made Darcy's shoulder tense. He glanced over his shoulder at her, contemplating on whether he should tell her the whole truth or just a segment of it. He wasn't sure if she'd follow him or not, and he wanted to be alone at the moment.

"Oh, he's going to give Tybalt some exercise like I asked him to for me. I'm going to go check on Jane, Caroline, Darcy; sis, could you call this number and request that Mr. Jones pays us a visit? Mr. Bennet said he's a doctor that will check up on people, for free, that live near him. After that, could you try phoning Gerard and Louisa again? I'm sure the Bennets would like Jane home since she's ill." Charlie said, phone in hand, coming up to the pair. Darcy nodded at his friend for the save, continuing out the back door as Caroline protested loudly that Tybalt needed two people to employ him. The stables at Netherfield were near the house, so Darcy didn't have a long walk in the damp grass before her entered the stables that were blanketed by the warm smell of hay and the ugly smell of horse dung. Tybalt, Charlie's black stallion named after the fiery temper he'd had as a colt and Shakespeare's irascible character, and the only horse other than the Bennet's Lucky Star that occupied a stall, whinnied as Darcy neared his box.

"Your stall needs mucking, doesn't it, boy? Shhhh, I'll tell Charlie his hired hand is slacking off, don't worry." He said, stroking the stallion's nose, calming the horse. Tybalt, once stamping his hooves angrily, ceased all movements as Darcy entered his stall and took his lead, showing him over to where Charlie's riding supplies were being kept. After tying up the gallant animal, Darcy brushed his cobalt coat, mane, and tail before putting the saddle and bridle on.

"Still don't like the bits, do you?" Darcy laughed softly as Tybalt chomped vociferously on his bit for a few seconds before, with a snort, giving up. Shaking his head at the silliness, Darcy grabbed a nearby stool before taking both it and the stallion outside; he used the stool to easily mount Tybalt. He ad Tybalt walk to the outskirts of Netherfield's large expanse of land, and then Darcy had him trot around the edge of the property. The pair was near the front gates when Darcy noticed a lone figure walking in the middle of the road towards Netherfield.

"Woah, Tybalt, woah," Darcy murmured, pulling on the reins to make his ride stop, narrowing his eyes at the approaching girl, "That can't be…. Well, bloody hell, it is. Damn does she look good… I didn't say anything, got that, Tybalt?" Tybalt nickered, flicking his ears and shaking his head, after Darcy spoke, giving the man the feeling that, should horses speak to where humans could understand, that Caroline would've known about his reaction. Scowling slightly at being teased by a horse, Darcy had Tybalt go forward once more but stopped him again at the front gates to wait for Elizabeth.

Tybalt neighed when the young woman neared, startling her out of her thoughts. Elizabeth looked to the source of the noise and frowned once she saw who the rider was. Will Darcy, she decided, was karma's way of getting back at her; he seemed to pop up everywhere, always looking extremely well.

"Here to see your sister?" Darcy asked as he backed up Tybalt so Elizabeth could open the gate with out startling the horse. Elizabeth nodded, choosing to climb over the old iron fence, fully intending to walk the rest of the way to the house even though her feet were killing her; she was surprised when Darcy pulled Tybalt in front of her, holding out his hand.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, eyeing the sweaty horse instead of Darcy, nervously biting her lower lip.

"Tybalt needs to go back anyways, so I'm offering you a ride. You must be tired, too. Do you ride in the front or the back?" His words caught her by surprise. Elizabeth didn't expect Darcy to be… well, courteous. After his comment at Charlotte's party and being pretty boorish every other time she saw him, she was sure no one would blame her if she asked where the real Darcy was.

"Okay, where's the real William Darcy, and who're you?" Elizabeth asked, squinting up at his face. Darcy looked the same as she'd last seen him, although there wasn't a five o'clock shadow anymore, and he was wearing a smirk now instead of a deep scowl.

"Well, I'm not _William_ Darcy, but I am the Darcy you know. I'll ask again, do you ride in front or the back?" He said, removing both boot-clad feet from the stirrups. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at his words, not knowing what he meant.

"I don't ride, um, very well, so—"

"I won't let you fall, Lizzie; if anyone is going to fall, it'd be me. You're riding up front in the saddle. Two sick Bennets is not what we need." Darcy interrupted her as Tybalt began pawing the ground impatiently. Elizabeth locked eyes with him, trusting him for some reason; he'd never shown any signs of being trustworthy… but she believed him. The last time she'd ridden a horse, it'd bucked her off, so Elizabeth had gotten a small fear of riding horses after that incident. Swallowing and still chewing on her lip, Elizabeth took Darcy's outstretched hand and put her right foot into the stirrup, letting him pull her into the saddle after he'd scooted back some.

"Tybalt, while he seems like a prat, won't hurt you. Though, you need to calm down a bit, Elizabeth; he knows you're scared." Elizabeth stiffened even worse as Darcy spoke, taking a fistful of Tybalt's mane; she knew she had to calm down, but with Darcy behind her, she found it a very hard thing to do. She jumped slightly as the hand he'd used to pull her up onto Tybalt's back pressed against her stomach, molding her into Darcy's torso; she could feel his heart beat slowly, almost reassuring her.

"Really, Elizabeth, calm down." He said, voice irate. Frowning, Elizabeth leaned forward, closer to Tybalt's neck, to get away from him, using her free hand to take his hand off her middle.

"Shut up, Darcy. You know, if you hadn't forced me to—"

"Forced you to? You willingly took my hand—"

"Willingly my ass! You talked me into it!"

"I did not! You could've just said no—"

"And then you would've followed me or something like some stalker—"

"Of course I would've had to follow you; I'm _staying_ here—"

"Doesn't matter, you—"

Tybalt neighed, interrupting Elizabeth, crossly looking back at the two riders. Darcy sighed, gently guiding the impatient horse into a sluggish walk, trying to mind Elizabeth's obvious want of personal space; even with her leaning forward and him reclining back as far as he trusted himself to go, they kept on brushing each other as Tybalt walked.

"You know, I don't have the plague or something." Darcy sighed after a minute, causing Elizabeth to snort.

"Sure you don't, Darcy, sure you don't. I could probably catch cocky-itus from you, so I'm keeping my distance. Anything else you have, like AIDS or something, please keep to yourself; I'd rather not know what diseases you have. Oh, and you know, your boxers or whatever show through your pants." Elizabeth sneered, glancing over her shoulder at him. She'd noticed, as soon as she'd seen him, that either his riding pants had a stain or his underwear just showed through the tight white material of his riding britches; upon closer looking when getting on Tybalt's back, it became clear to her that it wasn't a stain. Immediately, Darcy looked down and turned red, not meeting her gaze after that, muttering something that sounded like he was going to kill Charlie after he changed. Smiling triumphantly, Elizabeth was pleased that he didn't speak to her for the rest of the ride up to Charlie's front door.

"What the bloody… what is _she_ doing here? Will, _Will_! What is she doing here?"

Both Darcy and Elizabeth looked to the door as he helped her dismount at a furious Caroline Bingley. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her rudeness, yanking her hand out of Darcy's as soon as her feet were planted firmly on the ground; he gave her a curious look for that before turning back to Caroline.

"I'm here to see my sister, Caroline." Elizabeth said, shrugging at the red-faced woman.

"But your father – he didn't say anything of it! And Will… he, he picked you up?" Caroline asked, gaping like a fish as Darcy dismounted Tybalt swiftly and used the animal as a cover so she wouldn't notice his undergarment showing through his pants.

"My dad didn't know, and, not really. Darcy found me at the front gate and conned me into riding with him—"

"Conned? I did no such thing—"

"Oh yes you did, you dirty little—"

"I happen to be tall, unlike you, Eliza—"

"Oh, making short jokes, are we? Aren't the people of high society supposed—"

"High society? Short jokes? I'd never—"

"You just did—"

Caroline's jaw dropped as Darcy and Elizabeth fought, wondering how the country girl could get such a reaction out of Darcy. She'd only ever seen him really go at it with Richard Fitzwilliam, his cousin. The argument this time ended abruptly as Darcy stormed off with Tybalt still as his shield and Elizabeth turning sharply to Caroline, face flushed.

"Can I see my sister, Caroline?"

Caroline just nodded, mouth closing, heading back into the house with Elizabeth shutting the door behind her.

"I heard Darcy and a woman fight— oh, hello there, Lizzie. Are you here to visit Jane? Mr. Jones will be here within the hour to see her." Charlie said once both women entered his house, smiling warmly at them.

"Yes, I am, thank you for calling him. Can you direct me to where you're holding Jane?" Elizabeth asked, trying to sound polite as possible. She didn't think Charlie was the type to throw out sick people because their sisters fought with their best friend, but she found him to be an easily manipulated person. _Caroline_, on the other hand, seemed like a person to throw out sick people because their sisters fought with their… crush, lover, or whatever Darcy was to her.

"Lizzie, no need to sound so… formal. Just because you had a row with Darcy doesn't mean anything to me; Jane's staying here until she's better or we can get her back to your house in a comfortable, safe manner. Also, you made it sound so bad: _holding_ Jane. Lovely way to put it." Charlie chided, winking at the end and motioning for Elizabeth to follow him to the stairs. Netherfield was one of the few houses along their street that wasn't only one story tall.

"Jane was sleeping the last time I checked on her; she had a 102 degree Fahrenheit fever. I've no idea what… oh, no, she doesn't have allergies, does she? To any certain foods or anything?" Charlie asked as they started up the stairs, looking back at Elizabeth with a very animated face. He looked positively terrified but innocent with his blue eyes widened. Elizabeth shook her head, making him sigh in relief and wipe imaginary sweat off his brow.

"That's good, accidentally poisoning her would be dreadful. Here we are, in this room here." Charlie stopped at one of the cream doors lining the hall, voice lowered to a whisper. Elizabeth thanked him softly, trying to enter the room as quietly as she could.

"Charlie…? Oh, Lizzie, it's you! Thank you for coming, but you didn't have to… oh, erm, if you don't mind, keep the door open. It's stifling in here… Charlie means well, but he might just make me over heat." Jane hoarse croak startled Elizabeth. Not only had she expected her sister to be asleep, she also didn't expect her to look so pale and drawn. Jane's normally golden locks looked spidery, spread all about the pillow her head was resting on, and much thinner than normal; it made Elizabeth reconsider taking her sister home as soon as she could.

"Um, sure, Janie. How are you feeling…?" Elizabeth asked, leaving the door half open, walking to the bed where Jane was the innards of a blanket burrito, sitting on the edge. Jane gave her a pained smile, thin shoulders poking above the blankets covering her in silent laughter.

"Like poop. Fresh dog poop, to be exact – you know, when it smells the worst and is the worst time to step in it? Like that. I've a headache, tummy ache, my throat hurts, and I think I've a sinus infection, too…" As Jane trailed off, Elizabeth groaned in sympathy, pulling her sister's head into an embrace, being mindful of her face just in case she had a sinus infection. Jane just shook her head at Elizabeth, smiling softly.

"Caroline and Charlie have been such dears, and Louisa, too, last night when she was here. Caroline told me Louisa and Gerard went out this morning for breakfast at a Denny's… they've never eaten there, apparently." She said after Elizabeth let her go, causing the latter to crack up.

"Never eaten at a Denny's? How… odd. Though, I really can't see them there, anyways…" Elizabeth said, rambling off thoughtfully. She really couldn't picture the high-society looking Louisa and Gerard, even if the latter wasn't so classy, at a Denny's… their British accents made it even harder for her. Jane snorted softly, immediately regretting it, shaking her head at Elizabeth when her sister jumped up, asking if she should get her something.

"You're just like Charlie, Lizzie… I do something, he jumps up…" Jane said softly, smiling at the memory of Charlie being so thoughtful and kind. She knew he'd be a catch to any girl.

"Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing, Jane. Lizzie, if you'd be so kind as to leave the room…" A familiar male voice said, making both Bennet girls look towards the door. If his image wasn't enough to confirm his identity, the overpowering scent of Axe assaulting their senses (even Jane could smell the cologne) could do it for them. Dr. Jones, a man in his mid-thirties still smelling and looking like a high school senior jock, stood in the doorway with Charlie just behind him.

"Dr. Jones!"

"Please, Lizzie, I grew up around y'all. Even Jane calls me Mark, why can't you?" Mark Jones smiled sweetly at the girls, walking in the room; Charlie stayed by the doorway, nervously switching his weight form one foot to the other. It was easy to see he was intimidated by the larger man's stature; Elizabeth happily spied him giving Dr. Jones's back a jealous glare as Jane reddened at his comment.

"Fine, whatever, _Dr. Jones_, just tell me how my sister is doing." She sighed, exiting the room with Charlie, after Mark delivered her a pat to her head.

"Is… is Jane… Dr. Jones…" Charlie stammered as they descended the stairs together, looking back over his shoulder. Elizabeth smiled warmly at his distressed look.

"No, the only Bennet Mark has even been after is me, even though Jane is much prettier than me and Mary is more his type. Hell, Lydia is his exact type, but she's twenty years younger than him." She said, making Charlie laugh giddily and sigh in relief.

"Good, because I don't think I can contend with _that_…" He said, grinning at Elizabeth; both burst out into laughter a few seconds later until a raunchy smell made them both choke.

"Bloody hell, mate, go take a shower! Oh, bollocks, you're right… my riding pants aren't your size… you fat arse, you." Charlie's voice sounded odd since he had his nose plugged as he stared at Darcy, whom they spotted walking across the den towards the stairs. Elizabeth pointedly turned the other way, sniffing; he also turned away when he passed.

"I'm going to now, you prat, and of course I'd know if your pants don't fit me… that's why I'm not riding anymore around your house. Christ, imagine if Caroline got a look at me." Darcy said, shaking his head, a few pieces of hay dropping from his thick locks; he'd washed Tybalt after the argument he'd had with Elizabeth. Tybalt found it humorous to drop as much hay as he could onto Darcy as he bathed him.

"Did you… how'd you get him so mad?" Charlie asked after Darcy had passed and ascended the stairs, giving Elizabeth a curious look.

"Oh, trust me, easily. He's such an touchy jack ass." Elizabeth said, sitting down on the couch in Charlie's living room. He gave her a strange look but said nothing, wondering why his friend was acting so uncharacteristically like a jerk. He couldn't possibly like… Charlie's jaw dropped slightly and he looked over at Elizabeth, whom he'd sat across from in his recliner, stunned.

**A/N**: _Mwahahahaha, I made Dr. Jones and Mr. Hurst semi-hunks. XD Hope y'all don't mind – and if you do, well, too late. Okay, even though there are 8/9 ranches with horses within a five-mile radius of my house, I've never ridden before. I've no idea how long it takes to bathe a horse or how fast a trot is, so the time line might be a bit muddled. I do know, however, English saddles can fit two people on them, and since Charlie and the others are Brits, it'd be normal for him to have an English styled saddle instead of a Western styled one. I'm not sure, however, if the person in back can guide the horse… oh well. A bit of a perv moment up there, too… random much, yeah… Sorry. xD_

**Edit**_: I was informed my break lines weren't coming through, so all y'all readers will have noticed, hopefully, the __– (Crappy Break Line) – __break line thing. I've no idea how to get a proper break line, or whatever the line is called, in there…. So, please deal with my ignorance and stupid-looking wanna be break line, lol. Sorry for all you watchers who probably got informed of a "new chapter" being published… or, like, five; I was trying out a few things before settling on this._

_~ Tobi_


	3. Contagious

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: I'm assuming what I bought on the black market wasn't the real copyrights…  
><strong>Song<strong>: Poison by Alice Cooper.  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Nor mine. I pride myself on my horse knowledge, so I'm glad it checks out with someone who has ridden. Thank you.  
><span>x19x<span>: You make a very valid point, and, thank you, you've given me an idea for a later chapter.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Thanks. :) Lol, that's good, my inner pervert did, as well. Thank you for telling me I didn't have any breaks… I'd put them, but FF didn't show them or something.

**- Contagious -**

Elizabeth and Charlie, soon joined by Caroline, watched TV until Dr. Jones came down the stairs cheerfully; Charlie's face hardened for a second before he put on a grin and turned to the young doctor.

"How's Jane, Doc—"

"Lizzie!"

Elizabeth mouthed, "I told you so," to Charlie before turning to Mark Jones. Charlie gave her a tight-lipped smile, shrugging; he wasn't too comforted by this fact.

"Jane really mustn't move until her fever goes down below a hundred, okay? So, tell your lovely parents she'll have to stay here at Mr. Faux-Hawk-Ginger—"

"His name is Charlie, you idi—"

"Yes, Charlie's house, until then. Well, Lizzie-Bell, how _have_ you been? I haven't seen your pretty face in ages, in fact, I think-" Elizabeth's face flushed as Mark went on, knowing something was up with him, when a cat interrupted him. The fluffy white thing leapt up casually into Elizabeth's lap, calling on not only her attention but also the whole rooms. Mark immediately knew what was going on but played along, smirking slightly, as he bent down and started petting the cat, making it purr louder; Caroline's reaction was quite the opposite as she leapt away from Elizabeth, whom she'd been sitting with on the couch, shrieking inaudible things from the pitch she took. Charlie immediately leapt to his feet then sat back down as loud steps came down the stairs, and Elizabeth suddenly knew what was going on. The cat, whom Caroline was shrieking about, was obviously Darcy's.

"Mark Jones, you insufferable—"

"Shush, Elizabeth, you don't know how much you'll both thank me afterwards." Mark cut her off curtly, voice low so Charlie couldn't hear.

"Both? Are you _mad_?" Elizabeth hissed, glancing furtively at Charlie. The cat in her lap mewled for the attention she'd stopped giving it as soon as Elizabeth realized its owner was Darcy.

"Certainly not, Lizzie-Bell, this man—"

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth; Daisy got out of my room as I did by mistake." A different man interrupted Elizabeth this time. One with his hair dripping down the back of his white t-shirt from untangled ropes, bangs sticking up in drooping, thick spikes like he'd run his fingers through them, and cool gray eyes. It certainly wasn't Jane, nor anyone Elizabeth held in preference.

"She wasn't any trouble for me; however, Caroline…" Elizabeth trailed off, looking over at the severely frightened redhead who'd stopped crowing her lungs out as soon as she'd seen Darcy.

"Yes, I know of her… and cats." Darcy said, taking the advantage of Elizabeth looking at Caroline to scoop Daisy up into his arms, trying to tell himself he did so to get away quickly and not to touch Elizabeth's jean clad thighs for a few milliseconds. She jumped immediately at his touch and glared; Darcy pretended not to notice. Cooing softly to Daisy, he sent Mark a snide glare as went past, receiving a wide grin and a salute in return. Darcy immediately knew his mistake was known and planned by the mischievous doctor and cursed silently in his head as he ascended the stairs.

"Lizzie, I need to talk you, _privately_, so would you accompany me to my car? I'd be most delighted if you did." Mark said, letting his voice carry up the stairs. His grin reminded Elizabeth of the Cheshire cat; Caroline thought it made him look divine.

"Nonsense, Dr. Jones, don't go home yet. Please, join us for lunch, I'm sure no one would mind." Caroline said, voice a bit cracked from her screaming, taking a shaky seat back on the couch, albeit pressed against the armrest to put further distance between herself and Elizabeth. Mark looked over at her, surprise evident in his sky blue eyes, but his grin didn't waver. Charles shot his sister an angry look; he didn't was the flirt of a doctor to stay around much longer than necessary. If he wooed Jane, Charlie saw himself as no competition. Caroline paid no attention to her brother, seeing Mark Jones as a way to get at Elizabeth. Either they were together, and she could seduce him, or he'd take all her attention away from Darcy and leave him to Caroline. Either way, Caroline saw no losing situation for her; both men, though she found Darcy more appealing, were quite handsome. Mark saw the lunch invitation as an opportunity to step on more toes and tease Elizabeth.

"If you're sure no one would mind…"

"Oh, no one would ever dream of it, Dr. Jones."

"Oh, please, call me Mark, miss."

"If you'll call me Caroline."

Elizabeth could gag at the saccharine pleasantries kept on passing between both flirtatious adults.

Twenty minutes later, all five of the party were up in Jane's room, eating lunch with her. Elizabeth, wanting to get out of a lunch she'd spend with a playful Dr. Jones, catty Caroline, and brooding Darcy, asked if she could eat with Jane; Mark efficiently destroyed her plans of solitude with Jane by suggesting they all go. Caroline agreed to stay with him, Charlie consented to make sure he didn't go outdone by Mark, and Darcy concurred because he didn't like Mark with _his Elizabeth_ (when she went from just Elizabeth to _his Elizabeth _escaped Darcy). Jane, out of her blanket burrito, sat up in bed next to Elizabeth with Caroline at the foot of the bed, and the boys were left to sit on the floor and fight over the one chair in the room. Mark won the silent argument.

"So, Jane, don't you look exquisite even while you're ill?" Mark commented, smiling purposely at Charlie, over the sandwich made by the Bingley's maid.

"I think Jane would look exceptionally well even if she were dead." Charlie retaliated, face burning red when he thought of what he said.

"Not-not that I wish you were dead, Jane…" Elizabeth gave him a smile for trying, really wishing she could laugh at his silliness. She _had_ told him Mark, if he was interested in a Bennet, that girl wasn't Jane; boys were so dense sometimes. Elizabeth now knew what Mark had meant from his earlier statement of thanking him since Charlie was being more forward with his affections with someone he viewed as a threat trying to compliment Jane; she didn't, however, see what he meant by _both_ of them thanking him. All she saw in Darcy was his looks, nothing further since he was a pain in the butt stick in the mud.

Darcy narrowed his eyes at Mark Jones, knowing what he was doing. The doctor was trying to get Charlie's hackles raised, trying to make him stake a claim on Jane… and, surprisingly, it was working. Charlie usually was one to be rolled over (the reason why he never retained a girlfriend for over a month and a half) and done with, but with Jane, he was standing up for the fight. Darcy looked over at Caroline, to see if she noticed the difference in her brother, and saw the panic in her eyes; she did see it. Though why she was panicked by the change was beside him; Darcy actually preferred it. Maybe Charlie, should Jane show affection for him, as well, finally found the _one_. Although Jane was from the country, unlike her wild family (minus _his Elizabeth_), she seemed quite refined in her manners. In his musings, Darcy didn't hear the question directed at him from Mark, and he only noticed he'd been spoken to when everyone was looking at him.

"Pardon?" Darcy asked, clearing his throat slightly in embarrassment. He really wished Mark didn't gain a devilish smile after he'd spoken; whatever had been said put Darcy at unease. Caroline looked scandalized, Charlie looked at Darcy in anticipation like Jane, and Elizabeth was looking at Mark like he'd just sentenced her to death. Darcy had an inkling, whatever Mark said, it concerned him and Elizabeth somehow.

"I said, don't you think Elizabeth looks swell?" Mark said, confirming Darcy's suspicions. He didn't spare Elizabeth a glance, only glaring icily at Mark.

"She's tolerable."

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"Mark Jones, you are now on my hit list. What the hell were you thinking?" Elizabeth hissed as Mark leaned against his modest Corolla, smiling impishly. Lunch had passed with him complimenting Jane to get under Charlie's skin and trying to coax praise from Darcy for her. It was infuriating since Darcy, although she didn't expect better, only came up with indifferent, middle answers… actually, Elizabeth had expected him to blatantly berate her. Caroline's reactions to the attention she received form both men, however, were amusing as long as she didn't speak insultingly towards Elizabeth.

"I was thinking I just got Jane a date, when she's better, and a place to stay to where the guy whom she likes is catering to her every need and whim. Also, I was thinking that black haired guy – Will, right? – likes my little Lizard." Mark said, shrugging nonchalantly. Elizabeth's eyebrows rose under her fringe in disbelief.

"Okay, I admit this was the most forthcoming I've ever seen Charlie be, but Darcy? He hates me, idiot. He didn't compliment me once, even with all your prodding. Meddling, I should say." She said, crossing her arms under her chest. Mark's eyes shone with mirth, like he knew something she didn't.

"Will – Darcy, whatever, likes you, sweetie. He'd caught that cat before I went downstairs and was watching you on the top step. I caught him on the act and questioned him on it – of course he denied it – and then I went down and got all up in your face. Guess what? Miss kitty cat suddenly ended up on the first floor, in your lap. I don't think she's trained, but I do know he let the cat go to get your attention. And during lunch? Did you notice those awful looks he shot me? And, true, he didn't compliment you outright, but he _did_ defend you against Caroline that one time. He is your type, too – complete with the British accent you've always talked about." Elizabeth wanted to interrupt Mark's little speech, but she found her words fail her after he revealed the secret behind the cat scene. Her blood ran cold, and she chose not to believe him.

"Bull shit. You're full of it. Now get going before I pull out my gun on you." Elizabeth said, frowning, walking back to Charlie's house; Mark knew better than to call her on her bluff while she was simmering. She felt exhausted, both mentally and physically, and it was only one in the afternoon. Elizabeth heard Mark laugh, commenting on how she was drifting down the river in Egypt, before getting into his car and driving away.

"What a jerk." And with that, Elizabeth spent the rest of her day with Charlie and Jane in the room where Jane was staying, playing cards and what board games Charlie could find. Caroline popped in from time to time, but, for the most part, she and Darcy remained hidden within Netherfield's walls. Louisa and Gerard rolled back to the house around four, Charlie telling them of Jane's condition, causing them both to sit in from then on. Caroline also became a permanent resident for the afternoon after Louisa and her husband joined in on the sick room fun. Elizabeth would admit to having fun with Charlie, Jane, and Gerard – Louisa and Caroline, however, put a damper on her vivacious spirits since they found the rule changing childish. At six thirty, after hours upon hours of mindless fun screwing with the rules to the point of barefaced cheating, Darcy walked into the room, silencing it.

"Would you mind coming with me, Elizabeth, for dinner? I ordered pizzas, and they should be ready around the time we get there." He said, speaking softly, looking tired. Caroline got red, but kept her mouth shut, watching Elizabeth hesitantly get up and exit with Darcy. Elizabeth, had she found a good reason to say no, would've but couldn't; it infuriated her. She felt especially bad about going with him, alone, with Mark's words still fresh on her mind… Darcy couldn't like her, so he must detest her, right?

"Are we taking Charlie's BMW?" Elizabeth asked him after he'd held the back door leading to the separated garage open for her. The temperature had dropped some to make the earlier day's heat bearable, and Elizabeth relished the slight breeze playing across the land. Jane was right; it _was_ oppressive in her room. She heard the jingling of keys before Darcy answered.

"No, I've my own car." He said, locking the back door and leading Elizabeth to the garage. With this information, Elizabeth's ire boiled beneath her skin; not once did he mention a car before! Jane could've gone home and Mark could've seen her there before he'd wormed his thoughts into her head, confusing her! Men, Elizabeth decided, were horrible creatures. It was a short walk after they passed the stables to the garage, and Darcy unlocked it and held the door open again like he was a gallant person. Elizabeth's jaw dropped at the sheer size of the garage, only made bigger by only having two occupants, catching a nice smell as Darcy walked past her while she gawked.

"Hurry up, would you?" Darcy asked irritably, unlocking his Chevrolet Cobalt, being able to slide into the driver's seat before Elizabeth even got to his car. A sheepish blush had arisen on her cheeks as she slipped into the passenger's seat and buckled up, chewing her bottom lip.

"Sooo…you've had a car ready this whole time?" Elizabeth said, trying to sound innocent through her anger. Darcy somehow seemed to catch this as he revved up the engine, glancing at her with imploring gray eyes; she felt her own hazel held nothing in comparison while Darcy felt much differently. He could see Elizabeth's anger from her mutinous eyes; he'd realized they tended to be browner and darker when she was mad compared to a lighter honey brown when she laughed.

"Yes, but as you know, I couldn't have driven Jane home before that doctor came over and said don't move her. You must know you need to bathe a horse after he's accumulated up all that sweat, and Charlie's stable hand had come and gone when I was out riding so he couldn't have done it. Charlie asked me to exercise Tybalt before your father called, Lizzie, and no one drives my car but Georgie or I." Darcy said, calming Elizabeth down, since she saw his reasons behind being unable to transport Jane, until he called her "Lizzie".

"Don't call me Lizzie, Darcy." She retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. Elizabeth dearly wanted to ask Darcy if he had a gay lover named George, and as soon as he opened his mouth to reply, the idea appealed to her. It'd piss him off.

"Then what may I call you, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked, smiling faintly. He cockily thought she wanted him to give her his own pet name for her; something they could share together for just the two of them. Darcy just forgot, currently, Elizabeth abhorred his guts and he wasn't supposed to have a summer fling. Elizabeth smiled at him, making Darcy confirm his arrogant suspicions.

"Miss Elizabeth is fine, Gaylord." She said, smile widening to an evil grin. Darcy snorted softly, remembering there were some pizzas waiting, turning his eyes to the rearview mirror and backing up his car.

"Gaylord?" He asked, reaching up and pressing the automatic garage door opening button key thing Charlie had given him. Outside of the garage, he closed the door with the same button, waiting for Elizabeth's response. With a quick glance at her face, he noted she was plotting something – probably his demise in a verbal fight.

"Yeah, 'cause only you or _Georgie_ drive this car, right?" Elizabeth said, watching Darcy closely for his reaction. She didn't expect a grin to appear on his face, showing off his pearly whites, and for his shoulders to start shaking in mirth. All Darcy did until they got to the gate on the front of Charlie's property was laugh silently, amusement dancing across his features; it was the happiest Elizabeth had ever seen him.

"I'll get the gate, Darcy…" Elizabeth said, suddenly fearing he'd lost it, climbing out of his car. After she'd opened it, let him through, and closed it again did she see his face, calmed by the fact he was composed once more. The wide, boyish grin that lit up his handsome face was gone, replaced by a hesitant smile.

"Georgie is my sister, Miss Elizabeth, you needn't worry." Darcy said, glee doing wonders to his voice. He sounded much more pleasant to Elizabeth when he was exultant, just like he looked much more inviting. It was Elizabeth's turn to laugh this time.

"Oh, I'm not a homophobe or anything, Darcy. Are you sure your sister's name is Georgie, or have you gone senile, old man?" She said, in between laughs. Elizabeth couldn't believe _Darcy_ would make her laugh; he couldn't believe _she_ was flirting with him. Darcy rolled his eyes, smile widening at her laughter. He rather fancied the sound of it.

"My sister's name _isn't_ Georgie; it's Georgiana. She couldn't spell 'Georgiana' when she was little, but she could spell 'Georgie'. Hey, I'm not that old, Miss Elizabeth… I'd say eight years older than you, at the most, since you're at least twenty-one…. I hope." Darcy said, hoping the drive to the Pizza Hut wasn't short; he was enjoying the drive and Elizabeth's company. It had been a long while since something like this happened to him, and it felt like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders by the light atmosphere.

"Riiiight, sure, Mr. Darcy. Yes, I just turned twenty-one in March, but I doubt you're that young. You've got to have a job to have a car like this. Were you friends with Charlie's dad or something?" Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes. It was easy for her to see the age gap between Darcy and Charlie, and she was suddenly struck with the need to know how old he was exactly. Charlie, like Jane, was only twenty-two… she assumed Darcy was in his thirties, perhaps. Definitely thirty-six at the most, but after seeing his grin, Elizabeth was now doubting he was older than thirty-three.

"Fancy that, I turn twenty-nine in October, Miss Elizabeth; we're almost eight years apart." Darcy said, smirking at the glimpse of her look of disbelief he saw. Elizabeth's jaw dropped on its own accord when Darcy revealed his age; she might not have been far off, but she had been sure he was at least thirty.

"How'd you meet Charlie, then?" She asked, turning towards him. The sun had set, and every now and then she could see the smooth contours of his face thanks to streetlights and other man made suns. With her angle and the sudden flashes of light, Elizabeth could see bags beneath his eyes, much like the ones beneath her father's, aging his face by a few years. If they went away, Elizabeth found herself thinking he could look his age; she also got to wonder how he already looked so old and yet be so young. Surely a rich person's life wasn't tough? It couldn't be. They got everything they wanted, like Lydia, but poor people had to work for anything they wanted, like Elizabeth and Mary. There was no way a rich person could have a hard life, she convinced herself, opinion cemented in by her prejudice.

"I met him through school. We both go to Harvard… or, I just graduated, he still attends. I know you'll ask, since you've proven yourself to be a curious cat, so I'll answer before you do to save some time. I went back home for a couple years in the middle of my studies for personal reasons." Darcy explained, hands tightening over the steering wheel when he thought of the _bastard_ who'd almost stolen his sister. Elizabeth noticed the change of mood in the car and fell silent, taking the sudden pallor coming over Darcy's knuckles and the tightness of his clenched jaw as his sign (conscious or not) that he didn't want to talk about it. His words also unsettled her since they meant, come August, Charlie would be gone… and, seeing as the Fourth of July was right around the corner, it was coming fast. She swallowed nervously, thinking of Jane, sweet Jane, getting heartbroken. Massachusetts was a fair way away from Texas, and, with Caroline and Darcy around, Elizabeth was sure a long-distance relationship was a lost cause. Darcy, when he pulled into the parking lot to Pizza Hut, turned to face Elizabeth, sensing her melancholy mood. In a hindsight, he shouldn't have presumed she was sad at the possibility of his presence being so far away; it was arrogance at its height.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spoil the mood. However, I—"

"It's alright, Darcy, it was bound to go away sooner or later. You and I are like oil and water, and, unlike magnets, opposites don't attract when you're talking about people." Elizabeth interrupted, unbuckling herself and exiting his car before Darcy could even think of continuing whatever he was saying before she spoke. Darcy sighed before doing the same, wondering what her words meant; she'd been flirting with him before, hadn't she? Was she now pushing him away since she was under the impression he'd go back to Massachusetts once the summer ended?

Darcy retrieved the pizzas, not letting Elizabeth carry any one of the six boxes and not liking her open the door for him; Elizabeth saw his actions as stating she was beneath him, like a maid or something to open doors for him, and became incensed. She made him ask every time he wanted her to open a door, vexing him, so he decided to get back at her.

"Can you open the door, bitte?" Darcy asked as they approached the double doors to the Pizza Hut joint. Elizabeth just raised an eyebrow and held the door open for him.

"Swear to God, Darcy, if that last word was bitch or something, I'll fillet your ass." She said as he walked by, unconsciously looking down as he chuckled softly. Elizabeth didn't mean to make him laugh, dang it! He was supposed to get serious and blabber on and on about how he wouldn't cuss or something.

"And the back door behind the diver's seat, s'il vous plait?" Again, Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at his words; this one sounded familiar to her, since her high school had offered a French course, but she couldn't recall the meaning. It wasn't something bad, obviously, but she wouldn't put anything past Darcy. She was surprised to open the backseat door to find a beach towel draped on the seats, and went back to the passenger seat to wait for Darcy. He didn't take long, and before Elizabeth knew it, they were pulling back into Charlie's garage at Netherfield.

"Could you get the doors for me, Miss Elizabeth, por favor?" Darcy asked as he got out of his car, nodding at the garage door. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, finally knowing what all his little foreign language bits meant.

"Okay, that one I know, Darcy, but I don't have the—never mind." She said, joining him on the outside of his car, catching the keys he threw at her in surprise. It started to sprinkle when they entered Netherfield again, Caroline meeting them by the stairs.

"Hurry up, Eliza, help me with the drinks." She said, wrapping her claw-like hand around Elizabeth's bicep and dragging her into the kitchen; Darcy didn't even acknowledge her kidnapping. Elizabeth just took the two-liter bottles in resigned indifference, wearing a tight-lipped smile, and Caroline took up a handful of cups, plates, and napkins. Elizabeth saw this as a sign that they were eating in Jane's room, again.

"Oh, Charles wanted me to tell you you're welcome to spend the night over here. It is starting to rain again, as you've noticed, and he's sure you wouldn't want to leave Jane's side." Caroline sneered as they ascended the stairs, tone telling Elizabeth whatever Charlie felt wasn't shared by herself. She appreciated the offer, though, even if the messenger wasn't the best. Dinner was a curiously quiet affair with Charlie, Darcy, Elizabeth, Gerard, and Louisa on the floor being extra careful not to spill any of their soft drinks; Caroline took the chair and dictated most of what little conversing went on.

"I'll take the dishes…. And I don't need help, Caroline." Darcy said, sounding a bit somnolent, after most of the room was done eating. Only Gerard was still eating, so his plate and cup were the only ones Darcy didn't take. Caroline looked putout as soon as he left, pouting like a child who was denied something they wanted.

"So, will you sleep over with us, Lizzie?" Charlie asked after a minute, grinning sheepishly and running a hand through his faux hawk to try to unnecessarily make it stick up even more. Jane kept quite, but her face brightened at the thought. After seeing her sister's expression change, Elizabeth couldn't say no.

"If you'll have me, I'll gladly stay, Charlie. Thank you so much." She said, making sure Charlie saw her grateful smile. He nodded vigorously, standing up.

"I'll see if I can find something—"

"Charles, I'll find something that Eliza can borrow with Louisa. How about you go with her to find some extra blankets or something?" Caroline interrupted, also getting to her feet. Louisa shot her a confused look but complied with her younger sister's wishes, slowly getting up as well. Elizabeth was suddenly suspicious of the Bingley sisters' sudden act of kindness, but she decided to not call her out on it, just in case. She was curious to know what Caroline had up her sleeve and accepted her silent challenge.

"Okay, sure. Here, Lizzie." Charlie, beaming, walked over to Elizabeth and held his hand out; she accepted his hand to help her up, smiling slightly. Caroline almost cackled with delight when the two were out of the room, but Jane was still present. She couldn't do that if she wanted to keep her friendly front up to Jane. Caroline led her older sister down to the basement where the laundry room was, filling her in after they closed the basement door.

"I don't care if anything fits Elizabeth; all I want to do is give her something that's not been washed. She'll smell downright awful, and Will won't give her a second glance after that. It'll seem like she sweats too much or something in the night." Caroline said, whispering just in case there was a maid around, grinning deviously at Louisa. While Louisa didn't share the same want to keep Darcy's interest in Elizabeth at bay, she didn't particularly like Elizabeth; it was her country looks that made Louisa want to look away any time she appeared. Also, she seemed to take up all the attention in a room when she entered; Louisa didn't like that, either.

"Fine, I'll help you with that. You find some pants or something, and I'll get a shirt. Let's make sure they don't match, either. Oh, and don't choose anything of mine, Caroline, or else I'll return the favor." Louisa said, in low tones, spying that their maids separated their clothes by lights and darks and headed over to the lights. Caroline nodded, heading to the darks, and soon the sisters had accumulated a nice pile of dirty clothes they decided Elizabeth shouldn't wear behind them. Louisa emerged first form the baskets, triumphantly holding up a particularly potent Harvard University sweatshirt; she was pretty sure it was Charlie's, to top matters, since his sweatshirts were generally bought a few sizes too big so he could be "comfortable".

"I've got something crimson, Care. What would clash with that?" Louisa said, holding the sweatshirt at arms' length and walking over to Caroline. As soon as she looked up, Caroline leapt back, fanning the air by her nose.

"That doesn't stink, Louisa! It just smells strongly of cologne or something…" She said, scowling. Louisa just shrugged, not seeing the difference; she found most cologne scents revolting. Knowing they didn't have much time left before Charlie or someone came looking for them, Caroline hurried over to the baskets with light clothing in them, quickly finding a cyan pair of boxers; she wasn't sure who owned them, however, since she didn't know the sizes Charlie, Gerard, and Darcy wore.

"Let's go. Here, I'll take that, since I can stand it." Caroline sighed, snatching up the Harvard sweater, which Louisa held like it was a poisonous rag, hurrying up the stairs.

"I'll clean up, then…" Louisa grumbled at her sister's back, turning back to the baskets and heaving the dirty laundry back into its respective tub.

"Thanks, Loui, for your help!" Caroline called when she reached the top of the basement stairs, slamming the door shut behind her. It didn't take her long to locate Charlie and Elizabeth; in the time she and Louisa had taken to get he something to sleep in, they'd found some extra blankets and pillows and had started to make a makeshift bed on the floor in the room Jane was in. Also, Darcy and Elizabeth's quarreling voices with Charlie and Jane's unhelpful, ignored middle statements helped, too.

"I'd like to stay with Jane, Darcy, if you don't mind!"

"But you're a woman, you can't—"

"Oh, being sexist now, are we?"

"Will isn't sexist, Lizzie… he didn't mean it like that…"

"Bloody hell, you're difficult."

"Deal with it, rich boy."

"Don't call me rich boy! I was going to say, I'll kip on the couch and you can take the guest bed I've been using _since you're a woman and shouldn't sleep on the floor_."

"Trying to cover up a sexist thing with fake courtesy won't earn you any brownie points, _rich boy_."

"Lizzie! He's trying to be nice!"

"Don't stick up for the sexist pig, Jane!"

"At least call me rich man if you're going to keep this up, _Lizzie_."

"I told you not to call me that, rich _boy_!"

Caroline walked into the room at this point, once again reminded how easily Elizabeth rubbed Darcy the wrong way and stumped at how she did it. She probably would've laughed at the scene if she weren't so preoccupied with thoughts on how to keep Elizabeth away from Darcy; Charlie and Jane were pink from embarrassment for their respective friend and sister's behavior. Darcy and Elizabeth both wore scowls and stood probably three inches apart, bristling at each other; the funny thing was that Elizabeth only came up to Darcy's chest since she was short and he was not.

"How about Will sleeps with me and Eliza sleeps in Will's bed? That way, no one sleeps on the couch or floor." Caroline said, looking at Darcy hopefully. She didn't particularly want Elizabeth to sleep in the bed Darcy used, since it probably smelled like him, but she wanted to look helpful in both Jane and Darcy's eyes. Caroline was slightly shocked and saddened when Darcy looked at her, the passion in his gray eyes replaced by a deadpan.

"I'm not sleeping with you, Caroline." He said, the extreme difference in his voice and facial expression silencing the room. Caroline bit her lip, shrugging, her hurt evident in her lowered gaze.

"Just go, Darcy. I'm sleeping in here, and that's final." Elizabeth said, not liking how Caroline looked so… _human_ anddownhearted at his rejection. She wouldn't feel right picking a fight and thinking badly of someone like that, even if her name was Caroline Bingley. Darcy, sensing he'd done something to offend quite possibly the whole room, sighed and left quietly with one glance back at Elizabeth with imploring eyes. His glance plus Caroline's, filled with shock and perhaps gratitude and understanding, made a shiver travel down Elizabeth's spine.

"Here's what we found." With one glance down at the clothes in her arms, the spark in Caroline was back; Elizabeth suddenly appreciated the loathing she received since it made Caroline, Caroline again. She took the clothes with a game look, immediately smelling the Old Spice that was prevalent on the shirt.

"Thank you, Caroline, and thank Louisa for me, too." Both women met gazes, and the silent message was passed: Elizabeth knew of the dirty clothes, and she was going to get them back.

"It was nothing." _Challenge accepted_.

"Okay, so we'll finish up in here… feel free to watch TV until you want to go to sleep as it's still early." Charlie said, smiling slightly. He was used to Darcy rejecting his sister, but he knew something was different this time since Caroline had honestly seemed upset. It befuddled him slightly as to why this time she'd be offended, but he didn't really mind his friend rebuffing his sister. Charlie knew Caroline had started "liking" Darcy for his money (now, he wasn't sure if she really liked him or not), and he knew Darcy wasn't fond of Caroline's type and didn't expect him to date her just because they were friends.

"Thanks, Charlie." Elizabeth said, returning the smile, putting the sweater and boxers to the side to help him finish making the futon out of blankets. It wasn't long before Charlie was gone, the lights were out, and Jane and Elizabeth were channel surfing.

Hours later, Jane was coughing in her sleep, worrying Elizabeth; her sister hadn't started to cough until she'd changed into the sweatshirt and boxers (clean or not, she wasn't about to sleep in her skinny jeans), leading her to believe her sister couldn't take the strong Old Spice wafting off the sweater. Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip, unable to sleep because of Jane's coughing, decided to go down to the living room and sleep on the couch. Folding up a blanket and taking a pillow, she descended by feeling her way around and crashed on the sofa, not noticing the dim light in the kitchen.

At 6:30 in the morning, Elizabeth woke to an annoying buzzing sound that reminded her of an alarm clock. She groaned and slapped at the noise until a click notified her she'd pressed a button; that was when Elizabeth realized she was not on the couch anymore. Sitting straight up in the bed, slightly freaking out, Elizabeth looked around the room in hope of finding something that could tell her where she was. The two cats curled up in different places on the bed told her exactly where she was; Elizabeth clearly remembered the little white fluff ball.

"How in the hell did I end up in Darcy's room?" Elizabeth groaned, also noting the strong smell of Old Spice lingering in the room. It was definitely Darcy's room, even with out the cats. Charlie and Gerard didn't wear Old Spice, that was for sure, since Gerard smelled too much of beer or smoke and Charlie wore something tropical from a different brand. Her groan woke the cats, and Daisy and the tabby, whose name was unknown to Elizabeth, were crawling all over her in no time, mewling up a storm.

"Okay, okay, I'll find Darcy! Gosh!" She huffed, plucking both felines off her person and putting both on the floor before getting up herself. They followed her to the door, where Elizabeth had to keep a wary eye on them to exit with out them, and continued meowing after she'd left. Elizabeth sighed, rubbing her eyes warily, shuffling down the hall to the stairs; the smell of tea made her wrinkle her nose.

"Stupid Brits… need some damn coffee… stupid cats… stupid alarm clock… stupid _Darcy_…" Elizabeth grumbled as she went down the stairs, turning red when she saw who was in the kitchen brewing up the tea. The man whom she'd been complaining about was leaning against the kitchen counter, looking bemused and as casual as Elizabeth had ever seen him. Darcy was clad in a baggy pair of reindeer sleeping pants and a wife beater that had claw holes and tea stains decorating it; his hair was all over the place with stubble adorning his face.

"How are you up so early?" Darcy asked at the exact same point Elizabeth asked, "Did I accidentally crawl into bed with you?" A spot of color spread across Darcy's face, and Elizabeth's grew darker.

"Ladies first." Darcy said, suddenly self-conscious. He was wearing pants, first of all, with _cartoon reindeer_ on them, the shirt he was wearing was probably the worst looking one he owned, he hadn't shaved, and he hadn't brushed his hair or teeth yet. Elizabeth, though, looked titillating in his opinion, wearing his Harvard jumper that went past her mid-thigh and his boxers with tousled hair and a sleepy look. Darcy was sure if he could stand the image for much longer before he threw his morals in the bin and asked her out on a date; waking up to this image every day would probably kill him, too. While he was ogling, Elizabeth had asked her question and was now staring expectantly at him.

"Sorry, what?" Darcy asked, blushing a darker shade. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, putting a hand on her hip.

"I asked, did I accidentally climb into bed with you last night while looking or the couch?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him when all color drained from his face, assuming he felt disgusted at the notion of her making a mistake by climbing into bed with him.

"I – no, you didn't… I carried you back up and kipped on the sofa… I was in the kitchen and when I left to go to bed, I saw you." Darcy said, thanking the lord above he'd caught himself before he'd said, "I wish." Mentally, he chided himself for behaving like he was; he wasn't a spotted high school youth that had never gotten laid before! Why was Elizabeth able to do the things she did to him, and how had he not noticed whose clothes she was wearing when he carried her last night?

"I don't need you to be—"

"Bloody hell, Elizabeth, just accept it! I'm not the devil, no matter what you may think! I _can_ be a nice bloke, and I _can_ be chivalrous." As soon as he snapped, Darcy regretted it. Elizabeth's eyes widened at his sudden voice change and the glower he sent her way; never before, even in their quarrels, had he gotten _truly_ angry with her.

"Oh bollocks… I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I didn't mean to bark at you. Just give me a chance, would you?" Again, as soon as he spoke, Darcy rued it. He should've worded his last sentence better.

"Why should I, since I have standards, too?"

Elizabeth just stared at Darcy's eyes, scowling; all he did was blink, a blank look on his face.

"Darcy, shut your bleeding cats up, you arsehole!" Gerard suddenly yelled, and, with that, the heavy atmosphere shattered.

"Could you watch the kettle? Thanks." Darcy was gone before Elizabeth had the gall to apologize.

**A/N**: _More arguing. xD Sorry I didn't update this sooner; I've been working on English projects and reading Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka. Also, this chapter is a bit shorter than the earlier ones, lol._

_Just for your information, Mark is here to stay, for reasons you won't know until near the end. :P Nothing much more to say… except, maybe, could you drop a review? They're lovely, y'know._

_~ Tobi_


	4. Mr Dreamy?  Um, no, just, no

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: La la la, I can't hear your legal complaints over my horrible singing, la la la…  
><strong>Song<strong>: Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship.  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: No problem, I'm glad they amuse you. X3 Just you wait, she will… eventually.  
><span>4everthankful<span>: That's great, I'm glad! No, not always… you'll find out why soon enough.  
><span>Lucy<span>: Thank you. ^^ Oh, more C vs. E will happen, trust me; and Mark's enlarged part will come to light eventually.

**- Mr. Dreamy? Um, no, just, no. -**

It wasn't until eleven was the rest of the household up, and even then some were still in their pajamas. Elizabeth was surprised since she thought rich people always woke up early, rode horses, played cricket, ate tea and crumpets, and smoked cigars… all before ten; she found out she was wrong, severely wrong. Charles and Gerard were the last to wake (Caroline and Louisa had to wake them up, actually) and were among those still in their nightwear at the breakfast table. Since Elizabeth didn't feel like getting into her muddy clothes, she stayed garbed in the borrowed clothes, ignorant of Darcy's fascination of her in them because she didn't dare look him in the eyes; Caroline was acutely aware, however, and was steaming. Jane was wearing a pair of Caroline's old pajamas since it was "undignified" to wear ones' clothes for over a day.

"Thank you for letting us stay, Charlie, I'm feeling better now…" Always the gracious one, those had been the first words Jane spoke once everyone was gathered and sipping on tea, waiting for kippers to be made by the maids.

"Oh, it was no problem at all, Jane. Really, it's a pleasure you're here! Well, not being sick and all, but…" Charlie trailed off, grinning sheepishly, a splash of color adorning his face. The silence that lapsed after that was suffocating; it wasn't until the kippers were passed out by the maids did any more talking occur. Even then, it was only between Caroline and Louisa who sometimes got anyone but Elizabeth to chime in.; she didn't particularly mind, since it was about what was "in" or "out" in the world, not really having ever been concerned with those trivial things before. Unable and not wanting to chime in, Elizabeth finished first, and when she rose to put her dishes in the sink, all five pairs of eyes turned to her.

"The maids will get the dishes, Eliza." Louisa said, with a pinched smile and haughty look. Flushing, she put her plate end cup back down, leaving the room silently until a voice made her stop.

"Miss Elizabeth, a word?" Before she knew it, Elizabeth had been ushered by Darcy up the stairs into his room with gentle guidance from his hand on the small of her rigid back; clattering silverware behind them told her Caroline wasn't one bit happy.

"I had—"

"I'm sorry!" Whatever Darcy was expecting from Elizabeth, it wasn't a high-pitched squeak accompanied by a beet red face. He'd expected her to be angry with him still since her posture was so stiff. He blinked in wonder, almost too stupefied to catch her arm as she tried to pass him to exit quickly.

"I'm sorry, too, about my snub. I was being a prat… but, I just wanted to tell you, I got your clothes washed if you want to change…" Darcy said quietly, not expecting himself to apologize, either. Elizabeth's posture relaxed some after his apology, letting him turn her to his bed where her clothes, crisp, clean, and neatly folded, lay; her shoes, also washed, lay on the floor below them.

"A-ah… thank you…" Unsure if she should say more, Elizabeth looked up at Darcy questioningly. He blinked a few times before he got what her look meant.

"Oh, you could change in here if you want… if you don't mind the smell or the nutters…" Darcy gave a sliver of a smile to her, gesturing to the two cats lazing about. Elizabeth laughed softly, shrugging; she still couldn't look into his eyes.

"That'd be fine… um, do you mind me asking why you call them nutters? And why Old Spice is pretty intoxicating in here?" She said, walking to the bed and grabbing her clothes; Elizabeth headed to the joined bathroom with Darcy trailing after her.

"They're off their rockers, that's why, and they're the reason why it smells so potent in here. They knocked it over onto the jumper I was going to wear when I as applying it two days ago…" Comprehension dawned on Darcy's face when he looked down at Elizabeth. "I didn't wear it, I swear." He added quickly. Elizabeth was confused for a second before looking down at her torso, covered with a sweatshirt that smelled much too strongly like Old Spice; from Darcy's reddening face and hesitation to speak, she was pretty sure the boxers had been worn.

"It's alright." Elizabeth said, smiling firmly at Darcy before closing the bathroom door on him. Darcy wasn't sure if she realized that the boxers had been worn already or if she meant about the sweater. He leaned against the bathroom door, watching his cats until Elizabeth's voice startled him.

"What is the tabby's name? I know you called the white one Daisy yesterday…" Her voice was slightly muffled, as if she was taking off or putting on a shirt.

"Oh, his name is officially Roland, but we – meaning Georgie and I – call him Roly-Poly because he's fat. Daisy we usually call Sweat Pea… it's pretty funny, actually, when someone hears us mention her and assumes we're talking about a lover." Darcy wasn't sure if one could get high off of a sound, but he was sure he was pretty close to it when he heard Elizabeth's laughter. Like a bear to honey, he was attracted; and like the show Fatal Attractions, it would become life threatening soon if he couldn't bottle it up and send it on its way soon.

"Since you're not mad at me any more, can I call you Lizzie?" At Darcy's question, Elizabeth froze in pulling on her jeans, an involuntary shiver passing down her spinal column. She really wanted to hear him call her "Lizzie", but, at the same time, she abhorred the nickname passing through his lips just liked she detested Caroline calling her "Eliza." Elizabeth wasn't sure why she was at opposite ends with Darcy calling her "Lizzie", so she made a mental note to ask Jane about it later. Jane, even though she was impeccably shy, always had better relationships with boys. While Elizabeth had maybe five, tops, boyfriends, Jane had had at least twenty; she would know, seeing as she'd comforted Jane after every break-up with every douche bag (they were nice guys until they broke her sister's heart).

"No." Elizabeth replied, continuing to pull up her pants and button them up, feeling oddly at war with herself still. Even though she preferred "Miss Elizabeth" to "Lizzie" coming from Darcy, it was the same thing; she despised but also loved hearing it from him. The formality calmed her while it also infuriated her. Finished with changing, Elizabeth opened the door and yelped when Darcy almost fell onto her.

"Give a bloke some warning next time, would you?" He asked, smirking over his shoulder at her when he'd gained his balance. Elizabeth pouted, hand over her racing heart.

"Give a gal the thought that maybe, just maybe, you were leaning against a door she was going to open for no good reason!" She snapped, finally meeting Darcy's gaze ever since she'd insulted him; he surprised her by smiling widely.

"There's m—the Miss Elizabeth I know." Darcy said, catching himself before he said, "My Elizabeth," tapping her nose affectionately, like he would to Georgie or his cats. Elizabeth, a bit bewildered at the action, bent down and scooped up the sweatshirt and boxers into her arms to hide her slight blush; although she couldn't comprehend the action, she found it quite… _cute_.

"What should I do—"

"Put them in the hamper. I'm sorry about this; next time, I'll get you something clean." Darcy interrupted Elizabeth before she could finish, taking away the soiled clothes and putting them into the hamper near the door. She was surprised when he took her hand an lightly tugged until she followed him out of the bathroom; it was large, warm and also callous, unlike her slimmer, smooth hand. Darcy's hand wasn't a "perfect match" for hers, as he'd had to clench his hands some for hers to actually be snug in his, and Elizabeth found this comforting. From all the romance novels she read, you had to be a perfect fit to find your perfect match; Darcy couldn't be hers. No, just, no… she wasn't sure why she was thinking along those lines, anyways. Also, Elizabeth wasn't sure if there'd ever _be_ a "next time"; she wanted to stay away, as far as she could, from Darcy, Caroline, and Louisa. Darcy confused her too much, and her reasons behind wanting to avoid Caroline and Louisa were self-explanatory.

"Um, when do you think Jane and I can go home?" Elizabeth asked as she descended the stairs behind Darcy, feeling his hand tighten when they started going down. It was nice to know, should she fall thanks to him holding her hand instead of letting her hold the banister, that Darcy would either keep her upright or go down with her.

"I could take you… or Charlie could." He said, shrugging. The TV was on in the living room with everyone sitting on some piece of furniture; Caroline was watching Darcy and Elizabeth instead of whatever program was on, however. Her eyes darkened at the sight of Darcy's hand wrapped around Elizabeth's; he'd never held _her_ hand before, not even when she fell on purpose in front of him! Elizabeth, seeing Caroline's murderous face, immediately started to try and free herself from Darcy's grasp; she didn't want Caroline to think she enjoyed Darcy's company or anything. Okay, Elizabeth didn't really mind his friendship, but holding hands was still a no-no. Darcy, not noticing Caroline and wanting to tease Elizabeth, didn't let go of her hand but tightened his grip, becoming fond of the feel of her tiny hand in his; he easily slipped his hand from hers after they both were on the first floor, though.

"Right, Charlie, am I taking these Bennets home or are you?"

Elizabeth looked away from Darcy's back as he went up behind Charlie, who was sitting on the couch, and grabbed his shoulders; she looked over to Jane and went to her sister's side. Despite Mark's orders not to move her or let her move until her fever went down, Jane was up and about, slightly pale in color, still with a slight fever.

"I will. Can you go check on Tybalt and make sure Damien has been by? Thanks, Darce." Charlie said, smiling brightly. He stood up and shook Darcy's hands off, coming over to where Elizabeth and Jane were; Darcy came half way over, eyebrows knitted together. Charlie took Jane's hand and supported her even though he didn't have to, walking her to the door; Darcy stopped Elizabeth before she could pass him.

"Friends now?" He held out his hand to her, eyes clear and earnest. Elizabeth smirked, swatting his great palm away.

"In your dreams, old man!" She said, darting around him. When Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to stick her tongue out at him, she noticed Darcy's subtle smile.

"I'm not old, you prat!" He called, stuffing his hands into his pockets, looking relaxed. Darcy was glad Elizabeth wasn't being coy anymore; even though he only got a morning of it, he wasn't fond of that side of Elizabeth. It reminded him of a wounded kitten.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Elizabeth yelled, rolling her eyes at Jane as she danced around her and Charlie to get the door for them. Charlie and Jane, though the former was bewildered, both were laughing.

"You're quite talented, Lizzie; only two other humans have ever brought out Darcy's teasing side: Georgie and Ritz. 'Course, he messes with animals like there's no tomorrow, but they're… well, catch my drift?" Charlie said pleasantly, using his free hand to get his keys. Elizabeth took Jane long enough for him to unlock the garage and his car before he took her back, all smiles.

"So he is gay! That little –"

"Ritz as in Richard Fitzwilliam… his _cousin_."

"… Oh."

Charlie and Jane were snickering as Elizabeth deflated, pouting when she got into his BMW. He put Jane in the passenger's seat before going to the driver's, still chortling.

"Charlie, I'm sorry in advance." Elizabeth said as soon as he was buckled in, remembering the wall he'd have to climb when he dropped them off. That wall happened to have a name, and it was Faye Bennet. At her words, Jane paled immediately; she loved their mother, really, but sometimes – especially where men were concerned – she was over the top. Charlie just happened to be her new favorite (Darcy turned out to be her new least favorite, despite being the richest out of any of the past men).

"What?" Charlie, noticing the solemn change in Elizabeth to Jane's color change, dumbfounded.

"You're going to meet out mother, I reckon, that's why." The younger sister said, shuddering as Charlie slowly pulled out of his garage and down his lengthy driveway. He just grinned, shrugging.

"She can't be that bad, girls." Charlie had met many mothers before, thanks to his many girlfriends, and none of the bad ones ever turned out that bad.

"Oh, trust me, _she is_."

He was officially scared when even sweet Jane was nodding along with Elizabeth's ominous words as she got out of the car to open the gate.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"That didn't go so bad, Jane…" Elizabeth said, trying to console her sister, rubbing her back as she moaned pitifully into her pillow. Charlie's drop off took two hours longer than anyone expected since he was too nice to say no to the force of Faye, Kitty, and Lydia Bennet combined. Their mother had gotten him to agree to come over for a family dinner with out Caroline, Louisa, Gerard, or Darcy… just him and all of the Bennet team, and Lydia had gotten him to promise to celebrate the Fourth of July even when he was British and probably didn't want to or have reason to. Jane gave a particularly loud moan, a few coughs sprinkled in, making Elizabeth snort.

"Yeah, you're right, who am I kidding? He'll be moving out by tomorrow." She sighed, standing up and starting to walk away. Jane immediately sat up, wide-eyed and terrified.

"You don't think – he wouldn't – would he?" She asked, beginning to stand up; Elizabeth stopped her before she could, tucking her back into bed.

"No, Janey-poo, Charlie's a good guy. Even mum, Kitty, and Lydia can't scare him off, I promise. Now, go to sleep, and I'll wake you up for dinner." Elizabeth reassured, smiling softly, bending down to give her sister a kiss on the forehead. Jane smiled back, calming down from her panic, settling in for a little nap. Elizabeth quietly left the room, meeting her father in his study.

"You wanted something, daddy?" She asked, accepting the hug he offered as soon as she entered the room.

"My darling Lizzie-Bell, is that why you come see your old man now? I hope you won't reduce your visits to just asking for money like Kitty and Lydia, those silly girls." Thomas teased, beaming down at Elizabeth. Even with out his favoritism to her, she was, and always had been, a daddy's girl.

"Of course not, daddy. I'll ask for money and your stash of drugs, alcohol, and porn." Elizabeth said, smiling demurely as her father gave her a reproachful look. He just shook his head, chuckling after a minute.

"The only snort-able stuff I have is Crystal Lite and Smarties, if you crush them, but you aren't getting either of those. Anyways, what I wanted to tell you is your cousin is—"

"Wait, which one? That one kid who was a foster kid to Uncle Sam that no one but Uncle Sam likes because they're cut off the same branch?" Elizabeth interrupted, frowning. The kid whom everyone referred to as her cousin, when he actually wasn't, was a real piece of meat… and not the prime rib or filet mignon, either.

"Yes, William is coming down for a week… from June 30th to July 6th. I've already told everyone else, and I didn't think Jane would've remembered when Charlie was around." Thomas said, sighing heavily. Elizabeth groaned, wanting to ban her head of her father's desk – or maybe the wall, since it was closer.

"You just ruined my day… just when it was turning good from it's sour start…" She said, frowning. Her father only raised a questioning eyebrow, not prying but also curious. Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip, turning red when she remembered the morning; so much had changed…

"Well, I kinda sorta maybe… snubbedDarcybutwemadeupsoyeah. Bye!" She was out the door while Thomas was still trying to decipher what he dubbed, "Teenage Girl/Embarrassed Female Talk"; he wasn't quite fluent yet, but he was pretty sure he'd heard his favorite daughter say she'd made up with the bastard who'd insulted her. While Thomas wasn't too concerned about what role men played in the lives of his girls, whenever one got a broken heart or got slighted to her face (or in her hearing range), he never trusted the guy ever again since he was a man and knew what games his sex played. Even though Elizabeth but up a brave, unhurt front, he knew it affected her somewhat, so Thomas made a mental note to keep his hedge clippers at the ready, wishing he'd kept his threat to buy a shot gun once Jane started dating all those years ago.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"So… what are we doing?" Mark sighed, leaning against the hood of his car with Elizabeth. She shoved him, glowering.

"I told you a thousand times already; we're picking up my stupid ex-foster cousin!" Elizabeth sighed, snickering when Mark stumbled and almost lost his cool guy look, leaning against his car with black sunglasses on and his bangs spiked up with gel.

"Let me rephrase that… what am _I_ doing here?" He sighed, shoving her lightly in revenge. Elizabeth didn't even budge from her spot, grinning sadistically; Mark pouted.

"Being my unpaid chauffer 'cause the old truck is finally in the shop since I can't very well ride ole Lucky Star here. She might be lucky, but she'd probably die of heatstroke in her old age and in this weather. Plus, I'm so not riding a horse with another person, _especially_ if that person is William Collins." She said, checking her phone again. Her 'cousin' still hadn't texted back saying he'd left the baggage claim area; Elizabeth wouldn't be surprised if he was huffing and puffing when he arrived at Mark's Corolla. He was over weight when she last saw him, so he probably still was.

"Okay, I can bend to that; that old mare is a doll. But, _Miss Elizabeth_, you rode a horse with that one guy - Will Darcy, right? – practically sitting in his lap! I dare say that is riding a horse with someone else, don't you agree?" Mark badgered, ruffling Elizabeth's hair fondly. She whined, swatting at his hand but not really making him stop, pouting until he stopped.

"He… he… that old man swindled me into it! And I was not 'practically in his lap'! Did Caroline Bingley tell you that?" Elizabeth snapped, jumping when her phone vibrated. Mark laughed at her, letting her read and reply to the text before he tried to reply.

"William is on his way… what side are we on? West, right?"

"We would be on the west side, sweet heart. But could I get you on my side? It's much better here."

Elizabeth looked up in the middle of her text, seeing who had spoken to her. Although he used a crappy pick-up line, if it could be called one, he was cute, exceptionally so. Mark snorted by her side, rolling his eyes; even he wouldn't stoop down that low, especially when he wasn't drunk. His jaw dropped a bit when Elizabeth's face colored and she talked back.

"Sorry, man, I have to wait to pick up my cousin. Maybe another time." Elizabeth said, smiling coyly as she eyed the guy up. He was tall, probably around six feet even, tan, lean, and had both ears and his lip pierced. The guy was a "bad boy" if she ever saw one, though he seemed like a nice guy. He had short blond hair spiked up with gel and big warm, chocolate brown eyes that reminded Elizabeth of a puppy's; no one with eyes like that could be mean. Plus, he had a British accent; with the exception of Darcy and Caroline, British people were always nice-ish.

"Well, you best text that cousin fast so I can insert my number in that handy-dandy little phone, right?" The guy said, grinning boyishly, showing off sharp incisors. He was definitely a good-looking guy, but Mark didn't trust him. Scratch that, he didn't like him. Mark sighed when Elizabeth giggled, quickly texting William and handing her phone over to her admirer.

"You just ring me up, okay? Or, you could come see me some time in a local bar showing the Red Coats. I'm the back up singer, bassist, guitarist… well, I'm the back up anything, actually." He said, handing Elizabeth back her phone when he was done making himself a contact and speed dial number nine.

"I've got to go find my mates; I think they went east. No sense of direction, ha ha, but I'm glad this time. See you around."

Elizabeth waved, looking through her contacts for the new name as he left.

"George Wickham, huh? Should be Dick Dickam." Mark commented when Elizabeth found the guy's name, scowling.

"Hey, just because I can attract cute British guys and you can't attract anything doesn't mean you have to get snippy. Oh, look, William is here. Subject dropped. If he asks if I have a boyfriend, say yes and say he's a really buff guy that can snap him in half. Or, you know, back me up if he asks me." Elizabeth sighed, giving Mark a mild glare after she noticed a young man whom she assumed was her guest. The man was shorter than Elizabeth remembered, since the last time she'd seen him was ten years prior and she'd gotten taller, but he looked essentially the same other than that; he had wire-rimed glasses he thought made him look "sexy", mousey brown hair that was already thinning due to a genetic problem, a pouchy face and stomach, happy eyes, and a cute button nose. Well, it would've been cute were he a woman.

"My, my, dearest Elizabeth, how you've grown!" William called, grinning and attempting to wave around his giant suitcase and carry-on bag. Mark sniggered, causing Elizabeth to punch him in his ribs.

"Yeah, um, same to you, Willy…" She said, smiling sheepishly as he strutted closer. He couldn't have been any taller than Elizabeth, maybe a bit shorter than her slight 5'3" frame. She avoided his double-cheek kiss greeting, quickly getting into the passenger seat of Mark's car, leaving him to fend for himself. Elizabeth heard her cousin prattling on and on about how Corollas were or weren't good (she couldn't tell, there were an even amount of positive and negative statements) before getting in the back seat while Mark took the driver's.

"So, Dr. Mark, are you and Elizabeth… lovers?" William asked as soon as Mark was backing up the car, smiling brightly. Mark burst out laughing, leaving Elizabeth, who was flinching, to answer.

"No, Willy, we're not dating, lovers, or anything but friends." She said, trying to imagine kissing the man whom she thought of either her (much) older brother or the uncle she loved to hate and hated to love because he was so embarrassing. It made her shudder.

"Oh, Elizabeth, please call me 'Bill' now. 'Willy' is so childish, don't you think? And 'Bill', so much more masculine?" Bill chided, leaning forward in his seat to pat Elizabeth's shoulder in a way he probably thought was understanding; Elizabeth just leaned closer to the window and away from her weird guest. She had no problems with her Uncle Sam ever fostering the guy, but he was old enough to live on his own now (she hoped he did), she didn't know why he was still considered her cousin or even allowed in her family's house. No one liked him and they weren't really related, so he shouldn't be allowed to visit.

"Um, sure, whatever you say, Wi—Bill." Elizabeth said, not really seeing how 'Bill' was masculine. To her, it sounded just like what she didn't like receiving at the end of a dinner, nothing masculine about that.

"So, why are you visiting, Bill?" Mark asked before Elizabeth could stop him. She made a face at Mark before looking out the window, pulling out her iPod and headphones; he asked the question, so he could deal with the consequences. Elizabeth didn't really care why Bill was visiting anyways, just so long as he didn't stay longer than expected.

"Well, you see, Lady Catherine…"

Elizabeth tuned him out, turning the volume on her iPod up way too loud to drown out his nasally voice. It was going to be a long drive for Mark, she knew; he was shooting her envious and, "Why the hell didn't you warn me?" looks after five minutes. She just laughed at him inside of her head, giving him a smirk.

To say Mark looked so relieved he could've wet his pants when he drove away after dropping Elizabeth and Bill off at Longbourn would've been an understatement. Immediately after depositing Bill in her father's study, Elizabeth went to the room she was sharing with Jane and Mary, locking it shut just in case Bill came nosing about; she climbed up to the top bunk of the bed for extra privacy, pulling out her phone.

"Hey George. Where do the Red Coats play next, and when?" Elizabeth texted to him, smiling like no tomorrow as she thought of him. He was just so darn adorable!

"Um at bobs bar at 10 2moro. Who is this" Was his reply. Scoffing at his lack of grammar correctness, Elizabeth texted back quickly, mentally chiding herself for not saying who she was first.

"Oh, sorry, this is Elizabeth, from the airport. Remember?" _Because I certainly do. God, he has dimples!_ Elizabeth thought, giggling to herself, knowing how she was acting like Kitty or Lydia but not currently caring. She'd possibly hooked a hot British guy that could sing and play quite a number of instruments that was in a band!

"O hey sweetie. Can i call u beth? It sounds much cuter trust me beth." George replied swiftly, still not using correct grammar. Elizabeth decided she'd suffer through her pet peeve if she got a date from George, and she would let him call her Beth even if it didn't sound very cute to her. It made her think she was older for some reason, but maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

"Yeah, sure. Do you have any nicknames?" Elizabeth texted, trying to imagine George's voice saying her name or Beth; he had a smooth voice that was around Charlie's octave, no where near Darcy's. She couldn't quite come up with the image or noise, since she barely talked him, but Elizabeth hoped it sounded good to her.

"Yea im cald wick lik my last nam wickham. I gota go practis so ill see u 2moro at bobs ok" Elizabeth grinned through her vexation. He agreed to see her! Pumping her fist in the air and carefully avoiding hitting her head against the ceiling, Elizabeth jumped down from the bunk and unlocked the door. Bill was waiting outside.

"Ah, my dearest Elizabeth, I—"

"Not now, Willy, I have to find Jane." Elizabeth said, side-stepping him and running down the hall, grin still plastered on her face.

"Jaaaaaane! Jane, where are you? Jaaane!" She crowed, quickly opening every door she could, even if it just led to the coat closet. With Jane, she could be anywhere.

"Elizabeth! No shouting in this house, young lady! Jane is outside with Lucky Star." Faye said, voice boarding a shouting decibel, rounding the corner from the living room to face Elizabeth.

"Oh, right, sorry. Thanks, mum!" She said, not sorry at all, dashing past her mother and through the living room to the back. Elizabeth entered the stables voicing her good news, not conscious of who else was around but her sister.

"Jane, I met this really great guy, and he invited me to see him play – er, maybe play – at Bob's bar tomorrow night at ten. Can you come with me, just in case? Please, please, please?"

"Oh, Lizzie… um, sure, I guess. Want to come, Charlie? Darcy?"

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, th—wait, Charlie? Oh, hey, Charlie…" Elizabeth said, stopping in her mad dash to hug her older sister, finally noticing the ginger and his companion, choosing to ignore the latter.

"Sure, we'd love to come!" Charlie said, beaming and elbowing Darcy in the ribs before he could say anything about not wanting to go.

"May I come, as well?"

Elizabeth wanted to groan as Bill came around from behind her, wrapping his skinny arm around her shoulders. She noticed Darcy's glower darken even more when he did so, thus her reason to allow Bill to touch her. If Darcy didn't like it, she would endure it; they'd left on a light note last time she'd seen him, which was _un_acceptable. Elizabeth wanted him to remember she hated him still, even if she could stand his company for a bit. Seeing his face lit a fire in her stomach she didn't quite like (or maybe she did, Elizabeth wasn't sure).

"Sure, I guess. Charlie, Darcy, this is our… well, this is Willy Collins." Jane said, giving Elizabeth an odd look; she just rolled her eyes in return.

"It's Bill, now, Jane." Bill corrected Jane, removing his arm from Elizabeth's person to shake Charlie and Darcy's hands.

"Sir, did Jane mean Darcy, as in Fi—"

"Yes, she did." Darcy interrupted Bill before he could say 'Fitzwilliam', mentally cringing. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as an eager grin broke Bill's polite smile, shaking the taller man's hand more vigorously.

"Oh, sir, my esteemed patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh speaks very highly of you, Mr. Darcy, sir, in fact—"

"Yes. Charlie, don't we have a previous engagement to go to?" Darcy said coolly, turning back to his friend in the beginning of Bill's rant. Elizabeth's jaw dropped; sure, she didn't like Bill either, but come on! That was plain out rude!

"Oh, um… yes? We'll come pick you girls – and Bill – up at… say, 9:30? Unless… hey, why don't we pick you up at six and have dinner with you?" Charlie looked ecstatic to the prospect of having dinner with Jane, so Elizabeth nodded. He also looked confused at Darcy's words, confirming Elizabeth's thoughts that Darcy just wanted to leave since he saw Bill as someone inferior to him and not worth his time.

"That sounds good. Thank you, Charlie. We'll see you tomorrow, then." Elizabeth said, feeling her face heat up as he and Darcy left with Bill trailing after them, still babbling. Jane turned to Elizabeth, looking half way confused and half way amused.

"So, who's the guy? When'd you meet him?" She asked, walking over to the bench in the stables and sitting down. Elizabeth grinned brightly, scampering over to the seat next to her.

"George Wickham. I met him at the airport while waiting for Bill with Mark. I was asking Mark if we were on the west side, and then he came up with this crappy excuse for a pick up line – or something – and… yeah." Elizabeth said, making Jane look nervous. While she didn't approve to talking to strangers, she _doubly_ didn't approve of giving your number to strangers.

"Did Mark approve?" Jane asked, trying to word it carefully. If she picked the wrong words, she knew Elizabeth would retaliate; Jane knew she'd picked the wrong words when Elizabeth's glowing expression darkened.

"I don't need his – or anyone's – approval! Even when or if I get married, I'll castrate my guy if he asks dad for my hand or whatever! Jane, I know you don't like strangers, but, please… he's a good guy with lame ways of starting up conversations." She snapped, glowering for a bit afterwards. Elizabeth didn't understand why it was such a bad thing to talk to a cute guy; didn't dating sites and all that do the same thing? Jane had an account on one of them… maybe it wasn't active anymore, but she'd still made one last year.

"I know, I know… I just worry, y'know? You're my baby sister, and I can't always be there to protect you even though you did all most all of the protecting when we were younger…" Jane said, smiling at her sister. When they were little, Elizabeth had chased all the bullies away from her and beat up a few – and not just for Jane, but Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, too. While Jane knew Elizabeth was strong in most every aspect in her life because she was too obstinate to be 'left behind', she wasn't very strong with the subject of the male species. The only men she'd been around for the majority of her life was their father, Mark, and their uncle Edmund; since only Uncle Ed was sane, her view on the male species was quite limited.

"Jane, I… appreciate your concern, but it's not like I'm going to sleep with the guy. I don't need AIDS or herpes or anything, so the only guy I'll sleep with is my future hubbie, if I ever get one… and Colin Firth. And Matthew Macfadyen. They're dreeaaamy." Elizabeth said, resignedly until she mentioned her two favorite British actors. Jane laughed at that, ruffling her sister's hair playfully.

"But aren't they both married? And Colin is probably three times your age by now!"

"So? And Colin is only fifty, thank you very much!"

"I love you, Lizzie."

"Love you, too, Jane."

"Okay, so tell me all about this George Wickham."

"He's not at all like Darcy…"

Jane couldn't help but wonder, as Elizabeth described George, why she mentioned Darcy so much. Everything about George was, apparently, Darcy's polar opposite; he had light hair and dark eyes, a tender voice, and a sweet look to his face while Darcy had dark hair and light eyes, a deep voice, and, for the most part, a blank look to his face. Jane's eyes lit up when she thought about Darcy's facial expressions; his gaze always softened on Elizabeth. She wouldn't stop mentioning him and took to teasing him whenever they talked.

"Liz-Biz… um, do you, perhaps, _like_ Darcy?" Jane asked when Elizabeth was done explaining everything she knew about George (not much) while simultaneously berating Darcy. Elizabeth, who'd stopped to hear Jane's thoughts about George, was dumbfounded as to where her sister ever got the notion she liked Darcy since she could only tolerate him for so long.

"Darcy? As in, Mr. Stick-up-my-arse-so-far-you-can't-see-it Darcy? Um, no. Do I need to send you to an asylum? Are you feeling ill again? Do I have to call Mark?" She said, leaning close to Jane and placing a hand on her sister's forehead. It felt fine, but after her random question when she was supposed to say George sounded fetching, Elizabeth wasn't sure.

"No, no, and no. I'm fine, Lizzie. I just thought… with all your mentions of him and flirting—"

"I do _not_ flirt with him! I hate that freaking bastard, Jane, you should know that!" Elizabeth interrupted hotly, even though there was a voice in the back of her head laughing it's ass off, saying something about how "Denial" wasn't just a river in Egypt. Jane put her hands up in defeat, not wanting to press the matter; she remembered, though, the questions Elizabeth had asked her when they returned from their spur of the moment sleepover at Netherfield. Elizabeth had asked, frustrated, why she felt so weird by Darcy, and Jane could only think of one true answer (that she didn't give since Elizabeth had already been steaming mad).

"Right, okay, not flirting but… bullying?" Jane asked weakly, trying to see the logic in Elizabeth's world.

"Meh, probably along those lines. But he so starts it! He started it in the beginning by thinking I was already drunk at Charlotte's party and what not." Elizabeth said, eyes flashing passionately. She was also trying to follow her sister's logic, but neither was being too successful.

"But didn't he apologize for that?"

Elizabeth suddenly found ignoring Darcy would be her best plan of action since the man made her feel so different; she was stumped for an answer to Jane's question. He had apologized, but she still wanted to tease the mess out of him. Wasn't that normal when you detested someone?

"Jane, Lizard, you mother wants you to help with dinner!"

Both girls jumped slightly when they heard their father's shout.

"I bet she's making something extra special for Bill. Oh, I hope Charlie or Darcy ran him over…" Elizabeth said, chuckling darkly; Jane could only laugh with her, glad whatever problem Darcy was creating between them was gone for now. She could only stand so much of quarreling before giving in, even if she didn't like the other person's opinion.

"I doubt either of them—"

"Darcy would. He so would."

Elizabeth tried to hide her disappointment when she saw Bill in the kitchen with Faye, blabbering on and on about how he was a good sous chef.

Dinner and its preparations were a strained affair that night, with Bill saying his million bucks when no one even wanted his two cents at every subject change. Even Jane looked a bit strained by the time the dishes were done and she, Elizabeth, and Mary hurried into their room (locking the door shut) for the night. The next day, Elizabeth spent her time until dinner avoiding Bill since he had taken a shine to her, but, unfortunately, wherever she went (literally, he tried to come into the bathroom with her), he followed. She was starting to look forward to even seeing Darcy and Caroline's, should she make an appearance, company.

"Tom, Faye, Elizabeth and I are going on a date with some of her friends for dinner and a movie or something tonight. Please don't think I don't like your splendid cooking skills, because I adore them, but I think it's time Elizabeth and I spend some quality time together with out the family present." Bill announced when Elizabeth emerged from her room around five, searching for Lydia or Kitty. She heard his whole speech and wanted to slap him for it, but it was too late when she reached the den where everyone but she and Jane were. Thomas looked utterly confused, Faye couldn't decide between feeling elated or disturbed, Mary was bored, and Kitty and Lydia looked revolted.

"But we're related to you! You're our cousin!" Lydia screeched, shuddering. Kitty nodded furiously, paling by the second.

"Not by blood, we aren't; and not even by some signed papers. Your Uncle Sam never adopted me, so we can date. Even if we were related, I'm almost positive there are some states that allow cousins to marry, or we could move to another country if that weren't true."

Lydia, Kitty, and Elizabeth were all gagging by the end of Bill's second speech. Mary noticed Elizabeth first out of all of the ones gathered and spoke up.

"Lizzie, please say this isn't true." She said with indifference. Bill turned around immediately, all grins and bright eyes, saying things he probably thought were sweet; Elizabeth found them vile.

"Willy, shut up. I'm not going on a date with you, and I never will. Related or not, I grew up thinking you were my cousin, so it's just plain out wrong to me even thought I don't have any feelings for you what so ever. None. Nada. Zilch." She said, trying to give him one of the glares Darcy usually gave her, side stepping him and going over to her younger sisters.

"Either of you two want to help me get ready?" Elizabeth asked, thinking of George. She wanted to look killer for _him_, not Bill. Not Darcy, either, even if Jane had been abducted by aliens and thought she liked him of all people. Elizabeth was starting to regret her question when Kitty and Lydia both leapt up, squealing, before she got dragged into their shared room for a "complete make over".

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Darcy was grateful to Charlie as he shooed Caroline to Louisa's room, saying their sick sister had to be watched by someone who wasn't passed out. He didn't think he could stand a night in some random bar with a free mic night or whatever with Caroline and that short guy who'd put his arm around _Darcy's _Elizabeth.

"Don't want you to take the spot light tonight, you know, Darcylicious." Charlie teased when he came back, wearing his ever-present grin. He'd gone the extra mile to look good, considering the place they were going after dinner, wearing a tight, light blue Abercrombie shirt, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a black fedora over his usual faux hawk.

"I don't want the spot light, ever." Darcy said, refraining from groaning when Charlie called him "Darcylicious"; he wished he'd been a chicken for once that night, or maybe not so drunk, when he'd earned that abominable nickname.

"I know, I know. Let's go get the girls and… um, Willy. I hope I remembered his name right…" Charlie said, laughing sheepishly as he led the way down to the garage. Darcy couldn't help but look down at his own attire after Charlie had passed him, wondering if what he was wearing could catch Elizabeth's attention. He wasn't as young as Charlie anymore, so he didn't wear labels like he did. Darcy liked to think he looked good with out them, but he wouldn't really know until Elizabeth started to "tease" him or showed him she didn't care if he wore Abercrombie, Hollister, or any other label. While he wasn't looking for a summer fling, he enjoyed their… talks, if they could be called that. Darcy had been dating for a long time, and his legs had been uncrossed for over a decade, but he'd never felt so alive with anyone else, even if they were play fighting. He wanted to figure out the enigma that was Elizabeth Bennet and why she made him feel differently about her, an average beauty with stunning eyes.

Darcy was still contemplating what he felt towards Elizabeth and trying to figure out why when Charlie pulled up their driveway after he'd opened the gate. He was only shaken from his thoughts when Charlie killed the engine and stepped out, stating that they had arrived.

"Okay, try to be a bit sociable tonight, Darce. I know Willy will get vexing, but Caroline isn't here to aide him. Please don't make fun of Lizzie, either… I mean… well, don't be rude and all to her." Charlie said before he rang the doorbell, giving Darcy a chastising look. Darcy just rolled his eyes, heaving a sigh.

"Whatever you say, Charlie, but you'll be too busy drooling over…" The words died in his throat as the door opened, revealing a sight Darcy loved but also abhorred.

**A/N**: _Lol, sorry I haven't updated in a while… I got sidetracked by two major English projects at the end of school, and since summer started, I've been watching Bones practically nonstop. Also, Wickham and Bill showing their ugly mugs isn't very enjoyable for me, so they were contributing factors as to why, in the middle of writing this chapter, I took a break. Shout out for the Darcylicious Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen in this chapter. ;D_

_Oh, and the whole foster kid thing for Bill – I want to say this before someone gets the wrong idea. I don't hate foster kids or anything (I hope no one got that message), and I wanted him to be as close as possible to Elizabeth's cousin with out actually being her cousin. Since he was never adopted, he technically can pursue Elizabeth even though she seems him as an unwanted cousin. I think. I'm not positive, but it makes sense to me that a foster kid can try to date someone in the family that fostered him/her if it wasn't their foster siblings. Anyone get my insane logic? Oh well. If the Wick/Lizzie stuff seems unnatural, sorry; I've only been semi-stalked, which is the closest to dating I've ever gotten. Sorry for the long A/N, too. xD_

_~ Tobi_


	5. Screwdriver Problems

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: You wish you had Mr. Darcy tied up in your closet like I do.  
><strong>Song<strong>: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>CrossroadsofLife<span>: Thank you. :D  
>OurFamily<span>: As in, Lizzie in general or my Lizzie? You'll just have to find out. ;P Thanks for your opinions on the characters dispositions and such. Darcy needs to work harder as in, for Lizzie's attentions or I've just screwed his character up completely? Oh, no, she doesn't mean it at all; I've seen independent people (or just people) go on rants when they're vexed and say things they don't mean to try and make a strong point about something.  
>HappyAbbey<span>: Thanks. :D I'm glad you find this amusing and that my crappy break lines are so loved by you. 

**- Screwdriver problems -**

Darcy and Charlie both swallowed as they took in the view of the Bennet sisters that had captured their respective attentions. Jane was wearing a floaty white camisole and navy capris; Elizabeth wore a black tube top with the same pair of gray skinny jeans she'd worn when she walked to Netherfield. Until then, Darcy had never noticed how low they were on her hips; they showed off a sliver of creamy skin between the end of her shirt and the lips of Elizabeth's jeans.

_That_ was the part Darcy loved. The part he detested was that the same short man from before came up behind Elizabeth after the door opened and snaked his arm around her waist. Darcy had the sudden urge to pick the man up and drop kick him into the next century; he hadn't had this feeling ever since Wickham almost got his sister's virginity.

"What the hell, Willy, get your hands off of me!"

Darcy couldn't help but smirk smugly when Elizabeth, quite forcibly, removed Bill's hand from her person. Jane grimaced slightly, taking her sister's hand and leading her between Darcy and Charlie before he tried anything more and got severely hurt. When Bill tried to follow them between the two taller men, Darcy and Bingley closed the gap, arms crossed over their chests. Charlie had an inkling, since he'd seen the smug smirk, that Darcy would try to scare the mess out of Bill; he was glad his hunch was correct.

"Try something Elizabeth doesn't want again, Willy…" Charlie began, eyes narrowed.

"And you're rat food." Darcy finished their signature intimidating phrase. Ever since they'd met at Harvard and became friends, they'd team up to terrify any an all opponents in love. Richard, Darcy's cousin, always made fun of them for it since they scared many a few young men.

"L-leave our love alone! My dearest Eliza adores me and I, her! And I'm Bill to you, only Eliza can call me Willy, should she want to." Bill said, face going ruddy. Lydia and Kitty, whom had hard the whole thing in the background, were sent into a giggle fit. Charlie tipped his hat to the pair of girls before turning around and going to Darcy's car, the owner right behind him.

"I don't need your protection from Willy." Elizabeth said from her leaning position on the side of Darcy's Cobalt. Though her statement was directed at both men taller than her, she only glared at Darcy.

"She certainly doesn't need protection of any kind when I can—"

"Can it, Willy." Elizabeth interrupted Bill as he came over, after telling the younger girls good night, complexion still red. She was about to open the backseat door after Darcy unlocked the automobile when he stopped her, holding the door shut.

"You're riding up front, Miss Elizabeth." Darcy instructed, knowing full well she'd retaliate and reject his offer. Instead of letting an argument take place, he simply swung her legs from beneath her and carried Elizabeth, bridal style, around the car before depositing her in the passenger's seat.

"What the hell, Darcy! Why in the world—"

"Lizzie, can y'all fight later after you're drunk or something, please? Darcy was just trying to be nice…" Jane said softly as she climbed into the seat behind her sister's. She could understand Elizabeth's anger, but she could also understand Charlie and Darcy's chivalrous attempts to keep Bill's hands off her. Elizabeth pouted at her sister's words, having to make due with cursing Darcy in hushed whispers that made Charlie worried for his friend. Darcy tried to get Charlie in the middle seat, saying Bill was too close to Elizabeth, but he was shot down by Elizabeth's logic that the smallest person, which Charlie most certainly wasn't, had to sit in the middle seat. Although he wasn't the skinniest, Bill was the shortest and was the only one with almost enough legroom to be comfortable the middle seat.

The drive to the Olive Garden was a tense affair, as Charlie and Jane talked around Bill while he tried to engage Elizabeth in a conversation. Elizabeth spent the drive imagining ways to maim Darcy while he came up with ways he could prevent Bill from sitting next to or across from Elizabeth once they were seated in the restaurant.

Dinner and the fifteen minute wait before it was no different that the ride over. Darcy managed to snag the seat to Elizabeth's right after Jane sat on her left; Bill ended up sitting between Charlie and Darcy, a situation he didn't enjoy very much. Elizabeth wasn't too pleased, either, since she knew Darcy was trying to be a buffer between her and Bill; she couldn't fathom his reasoning behind it unless he thought Bill was off his rocker for his weird crush thing on her. To her, it felt like he was trying to be mean on purpose and like he wanted to fight her battles; she would have been somewhat flattered had it been anyone else since she didn't want Bill to try to make any moves on her.

"So, Lizzie, who is the guy you met?" Charlie said conversationally after their entrees had been passed out, trying to break the awkward silence that had befallen the table during the salad and soup appetizers. Elizabeth looked up from her food at him, smiling brilliantly; Darcy wanted to know what he could do to make her smile like that when he was mentioned.

"Wick – George—"

"That—that _blighter_ is here? Now?" Darcy interrupted her, face reddening. At Elizabeth's nod, he promptly stood up and left.

"Well, what's gone up his arse and died?" She asked, smirking slightly. Now she had all the more reason to get Wick to go on a date with her.

"Um, I'll go check on him… and I really don't know, honest." Charlie said, standing up and leaving the restaurant to find his best friend stewing furiously in his car, radio pumping hardcore rock. He was surprised to see Darcy fingering a pack of cigarettes in one hand, twilling a cancer stick in the other. Charlie tapped nervously on the window, making Darcy look up; it was the most irate he'd ever seen his usually levelheaded friend. Upon seeing Charlie's worried face, Darcy turned the radio off, stuffed the cigarette box into his trousers pocket, and got out of his car, still twirling one cigarette in his hand.

"I didn't know you—"

"I quit again. Mostly. What do you want, Charlie?" Darcy cut in shortly, in no mood for small talk or explaining his actions.

"I, um, well, we're all… worried about you. Are you alright? Do you need me to get Caroline to drive over here and drop my car off so you can drive home?" Charlie said, running his teeth nervously over his lower lip. He knew if Darcy quit smoking, then whatever the man Elizabeth met, Wick, must have done something horrible to his friend; he assumed Wick was related to the time almost two years previous when Darcy dropped off the face of the earth for a year. Or, well, left Harvard and Charlie, at least. Charlie did remember Darcy smelling strongly of smoke but blaming it on bars when he came back, but he believed his stories since the scent slowly faded away like his late nights out.

"I'm fine, Charlie. Just… go back in there, all right? Box up my order when you're ready to leave. Take these, too… for me." Darcy sighed, running his free hand through his wavy hair. He quickly pulled the pack out of his pocket and handed it over to Charlie; Charlie nervously took the pack, wondering what he could do with it. He was able to take the cigarette from Darcy's fingers before he went back in, telling his friend to take care. Once Charlie was back inside, Darcy groaned as he slipped back into his car, banging his forehead on the wheel.

"Fucking George Wickham… need a bloody smoke…" He couldn't believe Elizabeth had made nice with George Wickham, of all people! Couldn't she see what a rat bastard he was? And what the hell was he doing in America – in Austin, Texas, no less! George had always made fun of country hicks when they were little, so he had no reason to come to a place where everyone suspected the residents rode horses everywhere. (1) Darcy spent the rest of the time waiting for the others to eat by counting the number of people that went into Olive Garden and categorizing them into sexes, age groups, and races in his head. The rest of his party emerged a good forty-five minutes or so later, all laughing but Bill. It seemed like an unstated rule that no one asked Darcy why he'd left with his panties in a bunch when they got in; Charlie wordlessly handed him the bag containing his dinner and, at the bottom, the cigarette pack he'd slipped in when no one else was looking. Elizabeth couldn't help but watch Darcy with half curiosity, half concern as he drove to Bob's Bar after finding it in his GPS; although she didn't want to admit it, her initial haughtiness at getting under his skin by mentioning Wick had melted away completely, giving way to her present state of mind.

"Let me guess, you don't want to talk about it?" Elizabeth asked quietly, silencing Jane and Charlie's attempt to talk around Bill and the latter from trying to engage Elizabeth. She took note of how white Darcy's knuckles were over the steering wheel, reminding her of the time when she'd gone to get pizza with him; obviously, whatever had happened to make him leave Harvard for a bit was connected to Wick.

"No." Darcy said curtly, chancing a glance at Elizabeth. He still couldn't believe _George Wickham _could dupe_ her_. She nodded in acceptance, and, with that, the car was silent until they entered the bar. It was only just past 7:30 when they arrived, but there was already a crowd, some wearing t-shirts bearing the band name, "The Red Coats." Darcy wondered if any of the girls knew what the band was really like; the only decent guy in it was the lead singer and second guitarist, Basil Forster. The rest of the band was made up of alcoholics, druggies, and gamblers; that number included George Wickham, the guy with exceptional social and wooing skills that could sing, play the guitar, bass, and drums for whenever someone was too drunk, too stoned, or "got lucky". Since they were so early, they were able to snag a booth big enough for their party of five.

"Open mic night featuring The Red Coats, huh? So, is Wick a solo act or what?" Charlie asked, casting a dubious look over to Darcy. Elizabeth made sure Darcy gave no sign of leaving again before replying.

"He's the back-up for The Red Coats."

Darcy snorted while Jane and Charlie looked impressed even though the former had heard it before; Bill looked slightly putout.

"What do you mean by back-up?" Charlie asked, sounding earnestly interested in Wick. Elizabeth smiled at him, glad her sister had snagged such an amiable guy. Even though he hadn't grown a pair and asked Jane out yet, Elizabeth was sure he would before too long.

"Anyone want a drink? It's on me." Darcy said before she replied, not wanting to hear _his_ Elizabeth sing Wick's praises. Elizabeth gave him a curious look, wondering why he didn't like Wick. How could someone with Wick's eyes ever be horrible or make someone act that way? Unless Darcy had a gay crush…

"Rum and coke, mate." Charlie said, grinning brightly.

"I'd like a virgin martini." Jane said, blushing slightly; Charlie held back a snigger, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Darcy was quite tempted to make fun of him for his current level of maturity.

"I'd like a sloe comfortable screw." Elizabeth said, grinning wickedly; Charlie couldn't help his laughter this time. He burst out laughing as Darcy contemplated all the ways she could mean by saying what drink she wanted; Elizabeth couldn't want to shag Wick, could she? Or, more preferably, she wanted to shag him? Darcy immediately scolded himself mentally for thinking such thoughts; he fancied himself too old for a summer fling and most certainly didn't want just a one-night stand from Elizabeth.

"I'll take a Budweiser Select 55." Bill said after Charlie's laughter died down to a few chuckles here and there. Nodding, Darcy got up and went to the counter, ordering himself a shot of whiskey along with the four other drinks. He downed three shots before carefully taking the four other drinks in his large hands, returning to the booth only to find Bill had taken his seat next to Elizabeth. From the time the booth came into Darcy's view, he saw her slap away one of Bill's hands from her thigh four times. _Four_. Darcy gave the shorter man a hard glare until he got the picture, abandoning the seat much to Elizabeth's short-lived delight. She could normally handle Darcy for a bit, but with a PMS-ing Darcy it was a different story as he was, quite easily, the most uncouth and quiet he'd ever been. Elizabeth nursed her sloe comfortable screw while she conversed with Charlie and Jane, ignoring Bill and being overlooked by Darcy.

Around 8:15, Elizabeth excused herself to visit the ladies room, feeling Darcy's gaze on her back until the growing crowd swallowed her whole. She was sure someone was following her when she entered the loo; Elizabeth wouldn't put it past the irritable Darcy to follow her like a stalker. However, she was pleasantly surprised to see Wick grinning a thousand watt smile when she was done.

"Wick!"

"Beth! You're early. I saw you heading over here and waited for you. You want to go to the bar?" Wick said, enveloping Elizabeth in a hug. Although thoughts of the way Darcy's chest felt when he'd picked her up strayed into her mind, Elizabeth could tell Wick worked out. The shirt he wore looked like a second skin glued onto his finely muscled chest and washboard abs; she was conscious of the jealous looks coming from other women near by.

"Mmmm… sure." Elizabeth said, thoughts running from male torsos and to her sister. Jane would get worried, she knew, if she spent too much time with Wick; Elizabeth estimated she had maybe ten minutes before she should go back and tell Jane where she had been. He knew she couldn't go tell her now and save Jane the worrying since Darcy was there; something told Elizabeth he'd either follow her or prevent her from leaving the booth somehow. Wick grinned brightly, wrapping a toned arm around her shoulder and led Elizabeth to a secluded part of the bar counter.

"Two sonic screwdrivers, man." He ordered, arm still snug around Elizabeth. She considered telling the bar tender that she wanted a sloe hard screw or maybe a normal screwdriver instead of whatever a sonic screwdriver was.

"What's a sonic screwdriver?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at Wick instead of contradicting his order; she was always up to new drinks since she hadn't been 21 and legal for long. With an older sister like Jane, she never would have smuggled Elizabeth in; Charlotte, being around six years older than Elizabeth, had tried unsuccessfully. Elizabeth had always been too short to pass off as a 21 year old, and she was surprised no one had asked her for her ID yet. Wick smirked at Elizabeth, wondering how she didn't know what a sonic screwdriver was. Half the women he tried to woo were cautious of the drink, seeing as it was blue, tasted fruity, and was served in a dark place (or Wick always made sure to have it served in a dim place), a perfect drink to slip things into it. Most women weren't observant enough to tell if the blue color of their drink matched Wick's if the lighting was good, and the fruity flavor mostly masked the saltiness should he change his choice of drug.

"It's a type of screwdriver – you know, orange and—"

"Vodka, yeah. But it's… blue?" Elizabeth interrupted him, watching as the bar tender slid two tall, blue drinks towards them from down the counter. She wanted to slap herself once she saw the drink; Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver had a blue light.

"Aren't you observant. Ouch, look at that guy's wardrobe." Wick said, smiling teasingly as he pointed to the stage. The guy that had just walked up was wearing what could be called hardcore gothic clothes with a touch of Japanese pop culture mixed in. As Elizabeth laughed and watched him start to sing eccentrically, Wick slipped his preferred drug to get girls into her drink; he found drugging girls way too easy sometimes. He was sure Denny wouldn't get stoned before the show since Wick had warned him not to, since he'd be getting a girl, and everyone else was trying to go clean for a while for Basil and his fiancé.

"So, do you think you'll be filling in tonight, Wick?" Elizabeth asked, once she turned back to face him, ignorant of what he'd done.

"Nah. Everyone is on their best behavior for Evie and Basil since they're getting married in two days." Wick said cheerfully, taking a sip from his drink. Sonic screwdrivers were fast becoming his favorite drink and not just because of the advantages is gave him. Elizabeth was slightly concerned by what he said, wondering why the band would have to be on their best behavior for him to not play, but she placed it in the back of her mind to contemplate later as she sampled the new drink.

"Awww, that's nice. Well, not for you, but for Basil and Evie. How'd you come to be the all-around back-up?" Elizabeth asked, taking another drink of the sonic screwdriver. Wick's grin widened.

"Well, I grew up best friends with this really rich kid, and since my father died when I was eleven, I got adopted by his dad. I had a real taste for music, see, and so he paid for me to get lessons in playing the guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, piano and then singing lessons as well after he heard me singing in the shower." He said, remembering Darcy senior. Darcy senior was an easy man to manipulate; Wick only wished Darcy junior had been as easy. Wick was pretty sure he was only able to hoodwink Darcy senior because the older man just couldn't believe the boy he raised like a second son could do any wrong, even choosing Wick's word over his own son's. Ignorant as he was, Darcy senior had been a good man.

"Singing in the shower, really? Wow. Well, he sounds like a nice guy. Are you still in touch with him and his son?" Elizabeth asked, curious. Rich people had never been talked about in a good light to her before, and she was genuinely curious to know about this man.

"I had a falling out with the son, and the dad died about twelve years ago." Wick said, scowling as he remembered the sour memory. He'd almost had his revenge on Darcy by getting his pretty little sister, but the bloody fool walked in on them and stopped Wick before anything could happen. Now he had to settle by trying to soil _Will _Darcy's name (and Georgie's); he had no desire to ruin the whole Darcy name, just Will, Georgiana's, and their offspring and such. The ancestors, like Will's father, were untouchable in Wick's mind since they had taken him in willingly.

"So you're all alone now?" Elizabeth asked, starting to feel a buzz. She was sure she wasn't a lightweight, but maybe the sonic screwdriver had more alcohol than her usual sloe hard screw or screwdriver. The look Wick gave her made her giggle, and his arm tightened around her.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Now I've got you… and I still have my baby sister." He said, making sure his voice was saccharine. Once he pulled out the voice and coupled it with the story (plus his drug), he never got an empty night. Wick knew, however, it was a bit too early to try to make a move on Elizabeth; she didn't seem to be acting as drunk as she should have.

"Yeah, I'm sure that line works a loooooot on girls." Elizabeth said, giggling; Wick chuckled, nodding.

"'Fraid so. They always want to jump me after I say that, especially after hearing the whole story." He said, smirking. No woman in his whole life had rejected him after he told them a sob story that happened to tarnish Will Darcy's name. They really made it too easy for him.

"Can I see your sister?" Elizabeth asked, not really taking in anything he said. She couldn't quite comprehend why she felt so drunk; it made no sense to her, even in her fuddled mind, that a sonic screwdriver had enough alcohol to make her smashed. Wick was surprised Elizabeth asked to see his sister since no one else ever had – they generally asked for the rest of the story – but he complied nonetheless, thankful he still had a picture of Georgiana Darcy in his wallet from his fake relationship with her.

"Awwww, such a darlin'. A bit young, though… whazzer name?" Elizabeth cooed when she got to see the small picture showcasing a young girl, probably in her early teens, with a pale, heart-shaped face. She looked familiar somehow, but Elizabeth knew Lydia's friends didn't look like porcelain dolls like this girl did.

"Georgiana." Wick said before he could think, mentally slapping himself. He really needed to come up with a name for his fake sister.

"Georgiana Wick'm. Beth Wick'm. George Wick'm. Nice names." Elizabeth said, giggling hysterically. Wick nodded, laughing with her even though he didn't find anything funny; he was a great actor, after all.

"Sure are, Beth. You want to—"

"Wick! Get yer ass over here!"

Wick cringed; Evie always had horrible timing. Knowing Basil would kick his ass long and hard if he disobeyed Evie, Wick excused himself from Elizabeth's company, hoping she'd still be there after Evie was done with him. Elizabeth hardly noticed Wick's absence, giggling to herself until a pair of hands fell on her hips, making her jump.

"What are these, your hips? Really?"

The voice sounded familiar to Elizabeth, but she could only place who was touching her after she leaned back into his chest and smelled Old Spice.

"Heeeey, Darcy." She said, laughing as he looked down slightly at her, careful not to bump his chin on her forehead. Darcy looked from Elizabeth to the counter, feeling a chill come over his body when he spotted the drink.

"Oh no, Miss Elizabeth—"

"Ellie. I want to hear yous call me Ellie. But not Ellie-B. Ellie-Bees stuuuuupid." Elizabeth said, raising a hand to play with his lips. She grinned childishly as a small smile at her antics lit up Darcy's face, wearing the most tender expression she'd seen in years, perhaps her whole life (or what she remembered of it, anyways). Darcy flicked his tongue out at her fingers, causing Elizabeth to laugh. The slamming of a drink on the bar counter brought Darcy out of his trance, causing him to remove one of his hands from her hips and take her hand in his own.

"Listen, Miss Elizabeth—"

"Ellie."

"… Ellie, I think you've been drugged, and Jane's worried sick about you. I'm going to take you back, all right? I'm not going to hurt you or anything." He said, trying to lift Elizabeth as gently as he could. When he'd found Georgiana all drugged up, she'd been terrified of him, but he supposed that was partly due to the fact Wickham was in the middle of trying to rape her.

"Drugged? Like those ADHD pills I use'a take? Yeah'm drugged. Janey-waney… she was sick at Charlie's, yanno? He's her _booooyfriend_. And I dunno why you'd hurt me, Darcy. You only hate me." Elizabeth laughed, completely submitting to Darcy picking her out of the chair and sweeping her off her feet again. He didn't bother replying to her, but he was confused by her words. Elizabeth thought he loathed her?

"Mmmmm, your chest is much be'er than Wick'm's… you smell be'er, too." She murmured, nuzzling into Darcy's shoulder; the erratic heartbeat she heard sounded nice in her jumbled mind. Darcy took note of Elizabeth passing out on his chest, hoping she wouldn't remember much of anything concerning him… and Wickham. He tightened his grip on Elizabeth's slight frame, furious he'd even attempted to drug her. When he reached the booth with Elizabeth, Charlie was holding an extremely anxious Jane; Bill was trembling in his seat with a prominent stain going down his pants.

"My poor baby sister… oh God, what if someone—"

"She's fine, Jane. I've got her." Darcy said, hoping his voice didn't sound as warm as he thought it did. All three looked up at him, and Jane gave a scream of delight, leaping out of Charlie's lap; Darcy wondered if she'd ever get that worried about Charlie, should he disappear for twenty minutes when he was only supposed to be gone for five minutes, max.

"Thank you for finding her, Darcy, thank you so much! Where did you—"

"I think we should go, Jane. I found her… sleeping against the bar. She must be a lightweight." Images of Georgiana filled Darcy's mind, and he refrained from saying the truth; even if Jane didn't love Charlie, she obviously loved Elizabeth. He didn't want to put her through even the slightest fragment of pain he'd gone through as an older sibling that found out they couldn't protect their younger sister; it just wouldn't be right.

"Right, of course…" Jane said, calming slightly as Charlie took her hand, looking relieved. She found Darcy's story fishy, because Elizabeth had proved herself to being able to hold her liquor, but she didn't question him since he'd brought her back from wherever she had been. As Elizabeth was still clothed and looking right as rain besides the fact she was drooling slightly on Darcy, nothing too bad could've happened.

"Do you… think we could go to your place, Charlie? Our mother—"

"Of course, Jane. I understand… kind of. I mean, my mother would get pissed herself if she saw me like that, so, yeah, 'course." Charlie said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. From what he'd seen of Faye Bennet, even _he_ wouldn't put it past her to blame Elizabeth for getting plastered (but he was pretty sure Faye wouldn't get drunk like his mother probably would); he was pretty sure Elizabeth didn't know how much alcohol she could take since she didn't look very old.

"How old is Lizzie?" Charlie asked, curiosity getting the better of him as they entered the car. No one seemed to hear Bill asking how his "dearest Eliza" was; in fact, he was pretty much forgotten.

"She's 21." Darcy said at the same time Jane said, "She just turned 21." Charlie blinked, nodding; he didn't know Darcy had taken such an interest in the girl. It made sense, though, and all the pieces fit together quite snugly… Darcy was easily riled up by Elizabeth, he did his best to keep Bill away from her, he was the first to notice her extended absence…

"Darcy—"

"Shut up, Charlie. Willy, sit on the bloody floor since you wet your pants." Darcy interrupted Charlie after he buckled Elizabeth up safely in the passenger's seat, tucking her head on her shoulder to not create neck pains. Bill flushed, too embarrassed to even correct Darcy on calling him 'Willy' instead of 'Bill'. Jane ended up sitting in the middle on the way back since Bill was a bit too chubby to fit in the small space provided for the middle seat; she didn't mind too much, however, since she was able to keep a close eye on Elizabeth. Charlie spent the ride back rubbing comforting circles on her back; he couldn't help but watch her lovingly dote on her sister and wonder what she'd be like when they had kids. At first, Charlie was surprised at his thoughts, but he accepted them just as soon as he realized what they were. With Jane, he knew she was _the one_.

Caroline was beside herself when the group entered Netherfield after Darcy parked in the garage, insults ready on her tongue. She had to swallow them, though, when she saw Jane holding hands with Charlie and Darcy carrying Elizabeth; a man was following him, tittering with self-importance and demanding to have his "dearest Eliza."

"Will, dear, what—"

"Not tonight, Caroline, please." Darcy said, not meeting her eyes as he brushed past her and up the stairs. Caroline turned to her brother questioningly, but he didn't meet her eyes, either.

"We had a rough night, Caroline, and it was easier to come here together. Oh, um, this is Willy—"

"Bill. I'm Elizabeth's boyfriend." Bill interrupted hotly, giving Charlie a glare. He just shrugged in defeat. Caroline smiled arrogantly at Bill, noticing the stain on his pants… what a boyfriend Elizabeth had.

"I'm going to go check on Elizabeth… Bill, please, stay down here and stop saying you're Elizabeth's boyfriend. You're our cousin, legal or not." Jane said, giving Charlie's hand a squeeze before leaving him, heading up the stairs.

"But that man is up there, and I _am_ her boyfriend!" Bill called up after her; Jane was just glad he didn't follow her. She heard Charlie saying he'd find a pair of pants that would fit him and couldn't help but giggle slightly. Jane was surprised when Darcy, blushing slightly, exited a room.

"Jane, could you, ah, change your sister for me? I don't think sleeping in jeans like hers are very comfortable, and her shirt… um, no straps…" He said, looking as bashful as she'd ever seen him. Jane nodded, heading into the room, surprised when two cats greeted her.

"Hello, dears… let me change my sister, and then I'll play with you, okay?" She cooed, petting each cat once on the head before heading to the bed where Elizabeth was. A pair of boxers and a large t-shirt lay by her side, and Jane put them on after removing the clothes Lydia and Kitty had paired up for their sister, noticing Darcy had already removed her shoes. After she was done, like she said, Jane played with the cats until Darcy knocked, asking for permission to enter.

"Of course, Darcy." Jane said, noticing his blush was gone when he entered.

"Ellie is going to stay in here again, and Charlie insists you sleep in the room you did last time. Caroline is getting you something to sleep in now while Charlie gets Willy something. If you don't mind, I'll be sleeping in here, on the floor… so my cats won't wake Ellie up when they're hungry at 4:30." Darcy said, sounding a bit hesitant at the end. Roland, the dark tabby, immediately abandoned Jane for him, so he crouched down and started petting the top of Roland's head. Jane was curious about the sudden nickname instead of 'Miss Elizabeth', but she didn't inquiry Darcy on it.

"Yes, of course… since we're alone now, can you tell me where you really found Lizzie?" Jane asked, trying to meet Darcy's eyes. He took a minute before meeting them, firm resolve shining in his.

"That is the truth you should accept, Jane." Darcy said resolutely, hand curling into a fist on Roland. Jane nodded slightly, choosing not to pursue the subject again even though he was behaving suspiciously; she knew, sometimes, there were things better left unsaid. She turned her attention back to Daisy until Caroline entered the room, holding a pair of pajamas.

"I found the something I think would fit you, Jane. Come with me so I can see if it fits and find something else if it doesn't. Will, are you sleeping in here? Charlie says you could have his bed since this is his house and you're his guest." She said, brushing her leg against Darcy's side. Jane stood up and took the proffered clothes before Darcy spoke.

"I'm fine on the floor in here, Caroline. I just hope Willy doesn't wet himself on the couch." He said, looking quite smug; Jane was struck with how rude he was. She could take teasing when the person was there to laugh at him or herself, but saying something behind their back was low in her book. Caroline winced in disgust, nodding as she left the room with Jane behind her. Darcy sighed and stood up, taking a good, long look at Elizabeth.

"I need you out of my head, Ellie." He said to the room before tucking her in beneath the sheets, reminding him of comforting Georgie when she had a nightmare or fell asleep watching horror movies with him on the weekends. In a moment of weakness, Darcy kissed her forehead, whispering, "Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the silly cats bite."

He left the room after that, internally freaking out, finding some extra blankets to kip on. Bill was ranting on how he should be able to sleep with Elizabeth while Charlie tried to calm him down as politely as he could; Darcy just ignored them, suddenly too tired to want to deal with the absurd man. He turned in early as soon as he'd changed and made up a futon out of blankets, Roland curling up at the crook of his knees and Daisy taking residence on Elizabeth's stomach.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Elizabeth groaned when she woke up, her head pounding. She first spotted Daisy on her stomach, then the glass of orange juice next to the bed she was in on the nightstand.

"Hey, Daisy, what am I doing in Darcy's room again?" Elizabeth asked the cat quietly, picking her up and depositing Daisy next to her so she could sit up. Daisy mewed in response as Elizabeth downed the orange juice in a few gulps; she was tempted to laugh since the cat had replied. But, with what she assumed was the worst hangover ever, Elizabeth thought it best not to do so.

"You got completely wankered."

She looked up from Daisy sharply at Darcy's voice, quickly turning red. The man himself was pulling down a white tee over his damp body, and Elizabeth saw half of his stomach before it disappeared beneath the cloth. Inky black hair raced down his middle, disappearing into the lips of his tattered, pale jeans; she was even able to spot a v cut.

"What?" Elizabeth wasn't sure what to blame her blank mind on: the glimpse of Darcy's tummy, her hangover, or the weird word he'd used. Her Uncle Ed had used the word when she was little, but her mother had bullied him into not saying it around her daughters.

"Shitfaced. Did I wake you?" Darcy said, smirking at her blush. Elizabeth chuckled slightly, shaking her head.

"Thank God mum didn't see me like that. Hell, I don't remember much after going to the ladies' room. And, um, no… I don't think you did wake me…" She said, looking down. Elizabeth stiffened when she saw what she was wearing.

"Jane changed you, and no one else was in here but Daisy and Roland. You'll probably want to take a shower now… you could use this one, Charlie's, Caroline's, or the Hust's." Darcy said, laughingly, when she looked up at him accusingly; Elizabeth just rolled her eyes. She ended up sniggering a bit, however, at herself in the end.

"I think I'll use yours… I don't want to have glue in my hair or something, and I'd rather smell like you than a tropical fruit stand like Charlie." Elizabeth said softly, making Darcy laugh.

"Of course… Caroline doesn't like you, and Louisa would just follow in her steps. Let me find something small you can borrow…" He said, turning to the chest of drawers and rooting through them.

"No offense, but I reckon I won't fit in anything of yours too well. I mean, I'm already swimming in these…" Elizabeth joked, keeping a firm hand on the waistband of the boxers before she got out of the bed. Darcy shrugged, turning around after a bit with a pair of sweats and a shirt that looked like it wouldn't fit him.

"There was a washing mishap… and this is the smallest pair of pants I have. You might want to ask Charlie—"

"I'm good. Thanks, Darcy." Elizabeth interrupted, taking the clothes and vanishing into the bathroom.

"Sweat Pea, Rollie Pollie, do you think I've lost my marbles? Letting her wear my clothes and smell like me because she's showering in my bathroom?" Darcy asked quietly, crouching down and petting each cat on the head. Roland and Daisy looked at each other before both mewed loudly, pawing at his knees.

"You both are right… I _have_ lost my marbles. I'm trying to get reasonable answer out of you; all you guys ever give me is sarcastic bull." He smirked at them, sighing in defeat. Daisy purred loudly, rubbing her head against his knee. A buzzing sound caused Darcy to look up from his cats and walk over to Elizabeth's jeans, neatly folded atop the chest of drawers; even though it was an invasion of privacy, he took her cell out of her back pocket and looked at the text.

"Hey ward u go las nite? I lukd al ovr 4 u. Wan 2 meet 4 cofe starbuks dis aftrnun?" Darcy grimaced at the butchering of the English language, looking for the guy who sent the text. Upon seeing the name, "Wick", he immediately erased all texts sent by him and Wick's contact information; Elizabeth didn't need to even text that poor excuse of a human being. Darcy cursed when he realized he didn't text back for Elizabeth saying she never wanted to hear from him again or something of that sort before he deleted the contact information. Wick could always text back, and there he was, plopped right back into Elizabeth's life. Grumbling to himself, Darcy put the phone back where it had been and started to fold the blankets he'd used to make his futon, finishing when Elizabeth exited the bathroom, hair dripping in dark, wavy ropes down to the top of her scapulas. Darcy was glad the shirt that had shrunk in the wash was black and not white.

"Your pants don't really fit me, y'know. I've got the drawstring to the tightest it will go, and I'm still sagging. Plus, your legs are waaaay too long, mister. Did your folks put you on the stretching rack or something when you were little?" Elizabeth teased, thankful the shirt was still too big on her, shrunk in the wash or not, and covered the sagging when she wasn't holding the sweats up.

"Hardly. How'd you—"

"I grew up in the country, Darcy, being the smallest of five sisters – size wise, not age, clearly. I generally got the hand-me-downs since I was too obstinate for my mother to take me shopping." She interrupted, knowing he meant how she'd rolled up his sweats to her knees. Darcy nodded, trying to imagine a younger Elizabeth shouting at Faye that she didn't want to go shopping and then being handed the clothes her sisters had grown out of; as it wasn't too hard to do so, he was soon chortling.

"Don't laugh at me, you meanie head. Is there breakfast around here?" Elizabeth pouted at him, forgetting he was still the same guy she vowed to detest. He made it too hard for her to remember when he dressed so casually and laughed; Darcy seemed way too human and looked too different as his usually wavy locks curled while they air-dried, a boyish smile present on his face.

"Yes, there should be a maid that made breakfast already since I'm an early riser." He said, going to the door; Roland and Daisy immediately raced over to it expectantly, meowing. Elizabeth grabbed her phone and slipped it into the pockets of the sweats before going over to the door.

"Hush. You know I can't let you out since Caroline lives here. Be glad she let you stay over the summer." Darcy said, keeping them back when he opened the door to let Elizabeth, then himself, through with out any furry buddies behind them. They found a cooling breakfast feast, supplied with large amounts of juice nearby, waiting on the table when they arrived in the kitchen; surprisingly, Bill was already there, mouth watering slightly.

"Are we allowed to eat this scrumptious looking meal?" He asked, the sleepy look not working on him. It was clear he hadn't showered yet, unable to access one with soap and other necessities, and his bed head and rumpled clothes made him look plumper than he was. Darcy was half tempted to tell him, "No," but he nodded anyways. Bill and Elizabeth both instantly got a plate and started to pile food on them; Darcy followed suit, making sure he had plenty of kippers. Caroline, Jane, and Louisa, who was still coughing and sniffling, joined them not too long after; Caroline looked at Elizabeth with unveiled envy. Never before had she worn Darcy's clothes while this was Elizabeth's _second_ time, and she'd most certainly never showered and used his soaps before! Also, Darcy looked too much at Elizabeth for Caroline to feel secure in her plans to snag him.

"Who're you texting, Lizzie-Bell?" Jane asked, being second to Darcy in noticing her sister texted almost as much as she ate. As it was only around 7:30 in the morning, she had her doubts as to who else would be up early. The only sensible choice for the culprit was their father, but he couldn't be it since he didn't know how to text.

"Wick." Elizabeth replied, smiling.

"Oh, that's right, you went to go see him, but we left before you could…" Jane said, nodding slightly. She wasn't sure what to think when she noticed Darcy's look of utter contempt, remembering his strange behavior from the night before; having never met Wick, Jane wished her sister would be a bit more cautious about the guy.

"Yeah, but I'm seeing him for coffee today."

Darcy, once again, abruptly stood and left the room, face reddening. He deposited his dishes in trash where they were supposed to go before heading out to the back yard, going to the place Charlie had set up to chop wood. He'd made it for a hired had to use in the winter, should he ever want to use one of Netherfield's many fireplaces; Charlie had already amassed logs that needed to be split and cut down to size in his zeal. Darcy set to work chopping and splitting, imagining Wick's face at every strike while Wick sat, smirking, in the hotel room he rented, contemplating on how he'd get the one that got away.

**A/N**:

_(1) I love Texas, just sayin'; you got yourself a Texan right here. I've no clue if any other Texans will read this and find it offensive, so I'm clearing that up real fast. Oh, and if any of y'all were wondering… no, we don't ride horses everywhere. :P (I seriously get asked that any time I say I'm a Texan.)_

_And, I've no idea (and really don't want to know) how fast date rape drugs like Rohypnol (the one I'm having Wick favor), etc, work, sorry. So, again, the time line for the duration of the bar visit might be a bit muddled. And if Elizabeth didn't act drunk-ish or hung-over… whoops. I, honest to God, have never, ever seen neither drunken nor hung-over person. Whoo for fast update? :D_

_~ Tobi_


	6. Love Blows

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Zomie!Jane Austen chooses Lawyer. Lawyer used Copyright Infringement! Super effective! Wild Tobi flees.  
><strong>Song<strong>: Every Rose Has Its Thorns by Poison (I think… I listen to Miley Cyrus's version since the original annoys me.)  
><strong>Dedication<strong>: Y'all favorite-ers and alert-ers for this story. :D  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: I want to kill him, too… xD  
>Sabaku no -X-Temari-X-<span>: High-five, fellow Texan! I hate it, too, but it is kind of funny in a stupid way. It makes me want to ask Alaskans if they ride dog sleds to school. Thanks!   
>CrossroadsofLife<span>: Thanks. Well, it wasn't fast enough for his tastes. :P  
><span>Ipodrocker16<span>: Solitary guys make me think of cats, not dogs, even if Darcy hunted in the original and would need dogs. Lol, thanks. More Darcyliciousness is in the near future. ;D 

**- Love Blows -**

"Why does only _Lizzie_ smell like a man?" Faye asked, incredulous, as her two eldest girls and Bill entered the house, only Jane waving good-bye over her shoulder. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, wishing someone – _anyone_ – other than their mother had opened the door; she could get away from this awkward conversation (read: interrogation) had it been anyone else.

"It's because I'm secretly a man, mum; the doctor who pulled me out was wrong, just like puberty, Mother Nature, et cetera, et cetera." Elizabeth said sarcastically, trying to upset Faye. She wouldn't have it, however, grabbing Elizabeth's shoulders and sniffing the clothes she was wearing.

"Judging by the smell and how large they are, I'd say these clothes belong to that Darcy prick." Faye said huffily; just like Thomas, she hadn't forgiven Darcy for insulting Elizabeth. Even though Elizabeth wasn't her favorite, Faye still loved her dearly all the same.

"Nothing went on, mum. I'm just borrowing his clothes since the wash wasn't done. I'm surprised you're concerned that I'm the only one smelling masculine when we didn't come home last night and didn't leave a call or anything." Elizabeth said, prying her mother's hands off of her; she didn't feel comfortable letting Faye's potent perfume come in contact with the smell she'd identified as Darcy's. It made no sense, but she wanted to preserve his scent since she was allowed to keep the shirt, as it wouldn't fit Darcy anymore.

"Oh, I don't care about that, you girls are in college now and Bill was there. What I care about is you letting that man walk all over you like he—"

"Mum, he's not walking all over me or anything – hell, ask Jane how many times we bicker! And Darcy apologized, too! Now, I need to go get ready, I have a date… _not_ with Darcy, if you must know." With that, Elizabeth slipped out of Faye's grasp and into the room she shared with Mary and Jane, not listening to Faye's questions on if her date was male or female. She left the grilling to Jane and Bill.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"Should I be concerned if my date smells like a guy?" Wick asked, once again greeting Elizabeth with a grand smile and a hug. She was disappointed that he still smelled of smoke and alcohol even though they were in a Starbucks and it was in the afternoon.

"Sorry I'm late; I had a persistent date-crasher. Um, no, I just borrowed Darcy's shower—"

"Darcy? William Darcy? The guy ditching his family company and becoming a dentist instead?" Wick interrupted, eyebrows quirking together. He suddenly had a feeling he knew who'd taken Elizabeth away when he was gone last night, and a new plan of action in sullying Will's name sprouted.

"Yeah… although I didn't know he left his family business and wanted to be a dentist…" Elizabeth said, a plan forming in her mind. She might be able to con the story behind Darcy's atrocious behavior out of Wick.

"Well, yeah, he abandoned the company and thousands of people lost their jobs because of it. Will said it was because he didn't want the responsibility of so many people on his shoulders after he screwed it up royally. Although, I have to say this was years ago… he abandoned the company when we were still young – I think around 19 or 20, you know, when he changed his major from business. He was still pretty rough around the edges then since his sister, Georgiana, had just gotten back into his life, and pretty much all of England was still keeping tabs on him." Wick said, giving Elizabeth a sad smile. He knew that every great lie had a bit of truth in it, so he had to tread carefully in reciting this new story. It was just Wick's luck that Elizabeth knew Darcy personally and not just through papers, magazines, or Wikipedia.

"Wow… that really sucks. And what do you mean, wasn't Georgie with him ever since she was born?" Elizabeth said, wondering if the proud Darcy she knew could ever sound as weak and Wick was depicting. If there was a reason to make him stressed, which the Georgie issue seemed to be, then she could believe it; Darcy had acted irrationally last night when he had been angered.

"No. Darcy senior died when Will was still a lad at sixteen, and Georgie was only six or seven. Since Will became a bit… _unstable_ after his father's death coupled with the fact that their mother died in childbirth with Georgie, she went into a foster care system. Will only got Georgie back because his cousin, Richard, resigned from the military and said he'd help with raising Georgie." Wick said, wanting to smirk. Since Georgie was a good girl, albeit a bit melancholy, she'd only had one foster parent… Mrs. Younge. Elizabeth nodded, remembering how Darcy looked when he spoke of Georgie; he would have been on tenterhooks around that time. She could see him backing down from a huge responsibility now with that crucial bit of information. Heck, Elizabeth probably would've fared worse than he had if she'd been in his situation; even though she helped raise Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, she couldn't imagine being one of only two sole caretakers for one or all of them.

"Poor guy… I'd probably do the same if one of my sisters had been taken away from me. I mean, Lydia and Kitty are silly and Mary is, well, Mary… but I would still kill for them." Elizabeth said, trying to imagine a young Darcy going through all the stress and responsibility thrust upon him. It was no wonder there were bags beneath his eyes like her father's.

"Don't empathize with the bloke much. I was going to Cambridge with him at the time, and, after he got Georgie back, he didn't need me anymore. Darcy senior said to pay for my education in his last breath, and Will respected that until he got Georgie back. I was sent to the curb. He also started drugging girls up before and after that since he was prescribed some sleeping pills. One-night stands weren't exciting enough for him, apparently. He even got my girlfriend, Iris, in his phase or whatever you want to call it." Wick sighed, knowing if he pulled out the puppy dog look, he'd get another chance to get Elizabeth. Elizabeth didn't want to believe Wick's story, after seeing the human-like Darcy, but she also wanted to believe Wick since he didn't seem the type to lie. Plus, he'd been looking in her eyes the whole time, and Elizabeth knew, from what studying she'd gotten done so far to become a shrink, that people generally didn't look into someone else's eyes when they lied. Wick's breathing hadn't increased or slowed, he wasn't doing anything like tapping his foot in anxiety, and his palms were dry.

"Let's order and then walk outside, okay? It's a nice day outside." Wick said, hopping up from his seat. The barista had been giving them looks, so he decided to take the initiative and get something. Of course, Wick was broke from gambling, so he was just getting a free iced coffee.

"Okay." Elizabeth shrugged, getting up as well; she took his wrist in her hand to feel his pulse. Wick grinned, letting her have a few seconds to feel his normal pulse before intertwining their fingers; he was sure Elizabeth was in the bag now. Never before had a woman, drunk, drugged, or not, tried to catch him in his lie, and he was enjoying deceiving Elizabeth. After they ordered and the check came up, Wick looked in his pockets frantically, looking embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry, I've forgotten my—"

"Yeah, that's okay. I wouldn't have let you pay for my iced coffee, anyways. Now you just owe me one." Elizabeth said, winking at the end; Wick just grinned gratefully. They spent the time waiting for their drinks poking each other in the arm, however childish that was, smiling like idiots, and Wick was forced to admit, in his head, that Elizabeth was an amiable girl. While she wasn't the most stunning, her natural beauty, real attitude, and expressive face and eyes certainly gave even the most made-up Hollywood stars a run for their money. This thought scared Wick some, since the last time anyone spoke like that was Basil about Evie, who straightened him right out of his gambling habits, and Wick didn't want commitment. He wanted fun, booze, gambling, hookers, and the like. Elizabeth Bennet was certainly a dangerous one, just like Georgiana Darcy – only she hard run straight to her damned brother, the catalyst to all Wick's problems.

Even though Darcy senior tended to believe Wick over Will, he never loved Wick as much; Wick's own father died before he could ever start a meaningful relationship. His mother had walked out on Wickham senior when Wick was three, maybe four, and so the only mother figure he'd ever had was Mrs. Reynolds, the Darcy housekeeper at Pemberley. She, too, ran straight to Will after Darcy senior died instead of Wick. The only time someone, _anyone_ had chosen Wick over Will was when he drugged them up and they couldn't tell the difference between Charlie Bingley and Will Darcy (which is, indeed, saying something). The only other reliable thing Wick had was alcohol and gambling; however fleeting their comfort was, it always came. Even when Wick got completely shitfaced or lost a big bet, he got the attention he was starved for. It wasn't fair Will Darcy always got everything, it just wasn't! Even with his reserved disposition, people still flocked to him instead of Wick; even though he didn't want any attention, he always got it. It made Wick sick and burn with resentment, but Wick also feared Will the most out of anyone, even Evie. He knew all Wick's secrets, down to the drugs he used on girls, and could easily put Wick in jail for life with his connections

"So, where do you want to…" Wick stopped, completely, staring straight ahead and paling considerably. Thinking of the devil. Elizabeth was slightly confused when Wick's face drained of color, and she soon spotted the reason. Darcy stood across the street, frozen in place, face going red; neither he nor Wick moved, even though everyone around them was since pedestrians had the green light to cross the street. Elizabeth noticed the slight tremor passing through Wick, thinking it was out of fury instead of terror, and saw how tense Darcy had become, perceiving this as anxiety or fear instead of disdain fueled by vehemence. When the light started blinking that they had ten seconds before it wasn't okay to cross, Darcy moved forward and crossed the road in long strides, making it just after the light for pedestrians turned red.

"You poxy little—"

_Thok_.

"Darcy!" Of all the things Elizabeth could see Darcy doing, it wasn't causing a scene by socking Wick in the nose. Wick stumbled back a pace before falling, looking completely shocked, iced coffee falling to the ground with a cold splash at his side. Even he couldn't have predicted Darcy punching him, and Wick liked to think he had Will all figured out. Wick lifted his hands to his throbbing nose when he felt warm liquid dripping into his open mouth that tasted metallic and disgusting. Elizabeth looked up from her bleeding date to Darcy, who was rubbing his bruised knuckles looking down furiously; it was the maddest she'd ever seen him.

"Wick get up and go over to that bench. Darcy, you're coming with me. Now." She said irately, helping Wick to his feet before taking Darcy by the arm and attempting to drag him away; he complied after a few tugs.

"What the _hell_, Darcy?" Elizabeth asked, slapping him soundly. Darcy's head whipped to the side in shock, his hand immediately leaping to the sore cheek.

"I could ask the same bloody thing, Elizabeth! What are you doing with the likes of _him_?" He said, being actually angry with Elizabeth for the first time. Didn't she know Wick was just playing her? Didn't she know Wick was a bad influence? How could she not, being the most intelligent woman Darcy had ever met?

"I was on a nice coffee date before you decided to stick your fucking _fist_ in and make it a hospital date! And don't call me 'Elizabeth'; you know I don't like being called that by you." Elizabeth said hotly, glancing over her shoulder to Wick. She was pretty sure his nose was broken or very close to it; she knew he didn't deserve it, either, since Darcy had been the one who ruined his life. He had no right to punch Wick or even talk to him.

"Ellie—"

"Who the hell said you could call me 'Ellie'?" Elizabeth interrupted, shivering despite the temperature being in the high 90's with out the slightest of breezes. The way her old kindergarten nickname fell from Darcy's lips was fascinating and intoxicating.

"You did last… you don't remember, do you? Bloody hell…" Darcy groaned, putting his face in his hands. She had been drugged, and she was taking the side of the perp instead of Darcy! Things could only get worse from there, he knew.

"Don't ever call me 'Ellie' again, do you hear me, Darcy? Now, leave us alone and don't touch Wick again."

Darcy couldn't watch Elizabeth walk back to the arms of Wick; it made him feel like buying a gun and shooting Wick or himself, whichever was faster and/or easier. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Darcy turned his back on Elizabeth and Wick, walking away and not really knowing where he'd stop. Unlike his father, he drowned his sorrows not in alcohol but in nicotine, like his grandfather. Already, Darcy had picked up and quit smoking twice, but the urges still came, his reason behind having at least one cancer stick on him at all times, along with a Zippo lighter. He knew, first hand, what smoking did to people; his grandfather that smoked died when Darcy had been 18 from lung cancer caused by his smoking habits. Darcy was then quitting himself since he didn't want Georgie anywhere near his addiction. His abstaining didn't last too long, however, since he picked it back up again when Georgie had her fling with Wick and nearly died from it. After that mess, Darcy had though he'd quit for good, but with Wick's reappearance and Elizabeth's involvement with him, Darcy wasn't sure he could stand the temptation when the time came. He pulled out his cell and pressed his first speed dial with resignation, hoping she'd pick up despite the time difference.

"Fizz? What's up?"

Darcy smiled softly, some of his piling stress falling free at the sound of her voice.

"I'm sorry about the time. I know it's around dinner or dessert time where you are, but could you ramble to me about your day or something?"

"Um, yeah, sure. Okay, so I woke up today at, like, seven and I went downstairs for breakfast, but I nearly tripped over the rug and broke my bum, and…"

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Elizabeth couldn't believe the audacity of Darcy. He'd ruined what was turning out to be a fun first date and quite possibly her chances of seeing Wick ever again! She'd invited him to her family's 4th of July barbeque, and he promised to come even if Darcy showed up. However, Elizabeth was pretty sure Wick wouldn't come, and she couldn't blame him if he didn't. If only Jane wouldn't be upset by her banning Darcy… (it was a chain reaction: Darcy couldn't come, then Charlie wouldn't come, and Jane would be disappointed.)

"How was your date, Lizzie?" Kitty asked when Elizabeth entered the house sullenly; she took one look at her sister and wondered if she should break out the Ben and Jerry break-up pint.

"Well, all I can do is hope he'll come to the 4th of July barbeque. Darcy ruined it when we met him by chance." Elizabeth sighed, giving Kitty a grateful smile. All three of her younger sisters might be silly, but they were still her sisters.

"You mean that hot guy who is Charlie's friend? The one who insulted you?" Kitty asked, curious. The Darcy man was a very confusing man, indeed. First, he insults Elizabeth horribly, but then he stakes claim on her. He made no sense to Kitty or Lydia who were trying to figure out if he wanted Elizabeth (and vice versa) or if they could make a move on him.

"Yeah, the hot guy who is Charlie's friend that insulted me. He broke my date's nose by clocking him when he saw us together." Elizabeth said, trying to laugh it off like she had when Darcy insulted her. She didn't quite succeed since Kitty gave her a hug.

"Don't worry, he's just a jealous twat. Um, not to sound, like, rude or anything, but Mary said she'd help me make up an awesome job application form…" Kitty said, smiling nervously. It was the only thing she did that she wasn't copying from Lydia; she knew her time was coming and Lydia's wasn't. Lydia still had three years while Kitty only had one more before she headed off to college, and she wanted to be able to pay for some of her own things that Lydia wouldn't be around to steal when she was off at college. There was no time like the present to get used to school and work at the same time.

"Yeah, go ahead, Kitten. It's no problem." Elizabeth said, ruffling her sister's hair before letting her go. She was slightly surprised Kitty was growing up, but, then again, she was going to college next year with out Lydia. Perhaps she realized this and was trying to become her own person before the college frat and sorority parties swallowed her whole.

"Oh, and Willy is out on a date with Charlotte. He said two could play at your game." Kitty called over her shoulder before disappearing into the hall that led to the bedrooms. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, trying to process the new information; she wasn't even aware she was even playing a game.__

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"So, you're just using him until the new year? Or around there?" Elizabeth asked, curling her legs beneath her and staring at Charlotte. Her friend was digging through the part of the closet that held Elizabeth's clothes, trying to find a decent but pretty cover-up attire for her since Darcy and Bill would be there (and maybe Wick). Elizabeth wanted to look nice, but all the clothes Lydia and Kitty had picked out for her would make her nervous around Darcy since she didn't want him to see anything he could make of, and she was certain Bill would think she dressed nice to impress him. Again.

"Yes, so I can meet Catherine de Bourgh. I would like to work in her company, and Bill has been talking about taking me instead of you right after Christmas. He really thinks you're into him, you know." Charlotte said, understanding her friend's dilemma until it came to Darcy. She'd been informed of all that went on between the two, and she couldn't tell if they were stupid or shy (maybe both). It was quite obvious to Charlotte that Elizabeth was more than crushing on Darcy even though she declared to abhor him, and she was pretty certain Darcy would like nothing more than to make Elizabeth scream.

"… Elizabeth Josephine Bennet, what is this? Have you actually done the dirty and gotten away with his shirt?" Charlotte asked, spotting a black t-shirt tucked neatly away with Elizabeth's pajama set. She picked it up and held it accusingly at Elizabeth, knowing it had to relate to Darcy. Although it was faint, it still smelled like him beneath Elizabeth's stronger scent.

"That… is a shirt. Char, get your head out of the gutter; you know I won't have intentional sex until I'm married." Elizabeth said, eyeing it warily. It was the only piece of information she withheld from Charlotte since she'd assume the worst; it was something Elizabeth had been sleeping in since it was so soft, not at all because it was Darcy's and still slightly smelled like him. She detested him with a passion now since Wick had revealed his true character… or so Elizabeth was trying to convince herself.

"It was Darcy's, wasn't it? And you've been sleeping in it, haven't you?" Charlotte said, deadpanning; the blush that rose quickly to Elizabeth's face answered her question even though she was denying it.

"Don't conveniently forget to tell me all the juicy details when you two finally jump each other." Charlotte wanted to laugh at how red Elizabeth's face was turning. She honestly wanted to know how Elizabeth thought she liked Wick when Darcy was right in front of her, probably more than willing to steal her heart.

"Charlotte! I hate him, and he hates me. No jumping will ever occur - spontaneous, charity, pity, doesn't matter, never will happen." Elizabeth retorted, trying not to think of the glimpse of Darcy's stomach she'd seen, how his chest felt, and his smell; she wasn't being very successful. However good-looking (and smelling) Darcy was shouldn't compensate for how he treated Wick and the women he'd drugged.

"Riiight. I call maid of honor when y'all get married; Jane aint' got nothin' on me."

"I hate you."

"Did I tell you I picked out something decent but good-looking?"

"Did I ever tell you I love you?" Elizabeth said, smiling as Charlotte grinned back, putting Darcy's shirt back where she'd found it. Charlotte pulled a silver cami and faded denim cut off shorts out of Elizabeth's part of the closet and handed it over.

"Lizzie, Charlotte, hurry up! Mum says Charlie is already here, opening the gate! And he's brought the three stooges!" Lydia's shout made Elizabeth hurry up and pull on the clothes Charlotte picked out over her swimsuit.

"The three stooges…?" Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Darcy, Caroline, and Louisa. Gerard doesn't bother anyone, so Lydia doesn't count him as even being present." Elizabeth said, smiling sheepishly; Charlotte snickered, causing Elizabeth to join her.

"Your sisters are absurd." Charlotte laughed, exiting the room before Elizabeth and heading to the back to please Faye before she started complaining about her poor nerves. Even though they used to laugh about it, all the Bennets and Lucases knew not to mess with Faye's poor nerves at her age; they had stopped when she went into the hospital and figured out what Tom wasn't telling them.

"I digress, Charlotte – we are fan-tab-u-lous." Mary said, rolling her eyes when she came around the corner, startling the older women.

"Yes, Kitty taught me that word today when I was helping her with her application. No, mum hasn't sent me; I'm just getting my towel from my room." She said before any questions could be asked, smirking slightly. Elizabeth just rolled her eyes, shoving Mary slightly before being dragged outside by Charlotte.

"Oooo, look, stud-muffin Darcy continues to be a rebel. Those pants look good on him, though, and, hey, you didn't interrupt me…" Charlotte whispered, grinning, noticing Elizabeth's look. She was distracted.

"Hey, Lizzie, do you love me? And Darcy?" Charlotte asked, crossing her fingers. When distracted, Elizabeth tended to just say yes since she'd done that to appease Faye during long lectures.

"Yes, yes, whatever. Do you see a guy that's not my dad, one of your brothers, your dad, my uncle, Darcy, Charlie, or Gerard?" Elizabeth said, not listening at all to what Charlotte had said. Even though she thought she had a snowball's chance in Hell (fiery pit, not Michigan) at seeing Wick, she still had her superfluous hopes.

"Sweetie, do you know what you just said yes to? You said you loved me… and Dar—"

"Charlotte, you're dead!"

Jane looked up when Charlotte shrieked and ran from Elizabeth, the shorter girl right behind her, clawing at her back, wondering what Charlotte had done this time.

"So, I guess this is typical behavior from the young ladies?"

Jane jumped at Charlie's voice, turning around quickly – too quickly. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her, beaming handsomely.

"Lizzie and Charlotte? Yes, yes it is. And, um, Charlotte isn't a… well, compared to you, she's not a young lady. She's 27." Jane said, laughing softly, relishing at the feel of Charlie's large, warm hands on her shoulders. Even though she was steadied, his hands hadn't moved. He flushed cutely, grin turning sheepish.

"I didn't know that. She looks much younger…"

"And acts it." Caroline said snootily, coming over to the pair. She eyed Charlie icily until he removed his hands from Jane's person; Caroline knew she had to talk with Darcy and then to Charlie. They didn't come to Texas for summer flings; they came to make sure Charlie could survive one of the summers since he was going to be heading the Austin branch of the Bingley business after he graduated. Darcy had tagged along, after their parents had asked, to make sure another blond beauty didn't steal Charlie's heart; Caroline came with the same intentions. Louisa and Gerard had come from London because they had wanted to see some of America.

"Only with Lizzie since they're best friends. Don't you—"

"No."

Jane smiled awkwardly at Caroline's immediate shut down of her question, wondering if she had any friends then reprimanding herself mentally. She was sweet Jane; she couldn't think those things! Jane could remember when she took on the persona of "sweet Jane"; Lizzie was four, Mary was almost two, and Kitty had just been born. Their mother was in the hospital still since the doctors said her heartbeat was irregular or something and needed to be watched, and their father had broken his right hand in an accident with Lucky Star, then a young mare, leaving Jane in charge, basically, at six years old. Mark Jones walked Jane home from school and stayed at Longbourn until the Philipses came over after work to help out. One night, after seeing a fight between her father, who was frustrated at his own disability to care for his young girls, and her aunt, who was irritated she had to care for her nieces, that she'd never be mean again. Her sisters deserved better; they deserved to see sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns, not shouting matches between two adults and a mother in and out of the hospital. Jane then started acting like what she thought her sisters needed: a sweet maternal figure; not even Lizzie realized Jane had changed, grown up, at six since she couldn't remember much of anything before her own sixth birthday party. Jane had a feeling her father and Mark knew something had changed her, but neither spoke of it or asked her.

"Do we have time to swim before dinner?" Charlie asked, breaking Jane's thoughts and the uncomfortable silence that had fallen, putting on a brave smile. More people from their block were arriving by then, and some of the younger kids had already hopped in the pool. Jane looked over to her father at the grill and shrugged.

"I'm sure, if no one has corrected the children yet, we do." She said, adverting her eyes when Charlie started stripping.

"Come on, Will, dear. Let's go find somewhere to sit." Caroline said, surprising Jane. She had never realized Darcy was there, watching her closely; Jane shivered slightly, not liking how Darcy's gaze was so penetrating.

"Charlie can do much better than a country bumpkin." Caroline hissed once she'd led Darcy out of earshot from Jane and Charlie, sending her brother snide glances.

"The Bingleys are only big in Britain, Caroline. It'd bring popularity to your name in both America and the Isles if he married a pretty American woman." Darcy sighed, knowing what conversation was coming up. Caroline thought him to be a business savvy man when he really wasn't just because of his last name.

"It'd be even better if he married someone else in business and merged the businesses or a big tycoon's daughter, not just a country bumpkin with nothing, Will. Besides, she's so cold to him, and—"

"And you don't like her, her family, this town, Texas, or America. Plus, Caroline, he's smitten with Jane, and I believe she's just exceptionally shy." Darcy interrupted, watching Elizabeth cannonball into her pool with Charlotte. He wanted to laugh when they took Jane by surprise and tugged her into the pool by her ankles, cackling together.

"And you're just trying to side with him because a 'pretty American' has caught your eye. If you want a quick shag, Will, go after—"

"Caroline, shut up." Darcy interrupted her, sneering. He'd kept his legs crossed ever since Georgie came back in his life; if he was looking for anything from Elizabeth, it wasn't a one-night stand. If Caroline truly knew or paid attention to him, she'd know that, perhaps. Caroline looked scandalized as he walked away, scowling, but Darcy could really care less. Just because her brother shagged a new woman every other month, claiming he loved them, didn't mean Darcy did.

"Women, huh?" Mark Jones said, slipping like a snake up to Darcy's side on the pavement around the deep end of the pool. Had he been any other man, Darcy might have jumped at the sudden appearance of the meddling man.

"No, not women. Caroline Bingley." Darcy sighed, running a hand through his hair; he knew Mark had to be up to something. Why else would Mark approach Darcy when he'd intentionally been a prat?

"Ah, yes, rather sexy but has no class or manners what so ever. I can see why you haven't hooked up with her. You're not 'friends with benefits' or anything with her, are you?" Mark asked, smirking slightly when Darcy blanched. He knew, beneath the 'tude, Darcy had to be a decent guy; he just needed to know if he was already taken or not.

"Bloody hell, does everyone think so low of me? Just because I'm a man doesn't mean—"

"Right. You're a blue blooded Brit. Still a virgin?" Mark grinned at Darcy in a friendly manner. He could now see why Elizabeth liked pushing his buttons; the guy was a riot when he didn't keep his face blank. Currently, his expression looked rather sheepish and appalled.

"I don't think that's—"

"Any of my business, right, got it, man. Any girl got claim on you right now? I'm not gay or anything, 'course, but, y'know, I'm…" Mark trailed off, looking blatantly at Elizabeth. Darcy also looked her way, face hardening but eyes softening; he understood what Mark was getting at. If Georgie had taken interest in a guy or one showed interest in her, Darcy knew he'd be doing the same thing (but worded differently).

"I haven't dated in forever and a day, it seems, Doctor Jones. No one in particular has caught my eye until now, as you seemed to have realized. However, I'm leaving in a week or less; it'd be best left untouched. Make sure she stays safe… and don't let her see The Red Coats ever again. Trust me." Darcy said, wanting to give a long-suffering sigh and go to sleep. He knew what conversation he had to have with Charlie, Caroline be damned, and he knew what he wanted but couldn't have. Maybe, if he saw Elizabeth again, Darcy would try to win her over… but he had no hopes. It was just a stupid summer thing, anyways.

"Call me Mark, Darcy. Yeah… Lizard seems hell bent on denying everything, but she likes you. She always pushes the guys she likes away – trust issues and, of course, Faye's… _behavior_. All right, got it, no more Red Coats; I don't think I want to know why. Dude, why not try long-distance relationship? There's FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, Skype, and texting. It can't be too hard to do in this century." Mark replied, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't see the harm in trying a long-distance relationship… it might not ever work out, but you could at least say you tried. A girl like Elizabeth was definitely worth the effort, too.

"I had a feeling she did, conceited as that may seem. I don't… wish to discuss this, now or ever. It seems as if the food is done cooking, so, if you'll excuse me…" Darcy said, eyes downcast. He knew there were many ways in keeping in touch, but he didn't want the bittersweet torture of being able to see and not touch if he fell in love. It wasn't worth the pain it'd cause him and Elizabeth. Darcy left Mark's side and joined Charlie and Gerard in low spirits. He remained quiet throughout dinner and dessert, abandoning the party for the stables afterwards; Darcy didn't enjoy fireworks or a crowd too much.

"Hey there… you're Lucky Star, aren't you?" Darcy said, first spotting the elderly horse then the strapping young colt in the next stall over. He approached the mare, hand outstretched to her face; Lucky Star nickered at him, pressing her face to his open palm. Darcy smirked, stroking the soft fur.

"I don't enjoy human company much. I hope you don't mind if I join you, Miss Lucky Star." He murmured, opening the stall lock and stepping inside, Lucky Star moving slightly to give him room. Darcy, not honestly caring if the stall had been mucked, sat down amongst the hay on the floor, leaning against the wall between the two used stalls, gazing up at Lucky Star with out really seeing her. He was going to miss Austin when he went to Dallas… the open plains where Merryton was and one person in particular at the forefront of what he'd miss. The colt in the next stall whinnied before dropping hay onto the top of Darcy's head, making him laugh and come out of his thoughts.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you for no more deposits." He said, looking up at the young horse; it snorted at him, head ducking down behind the wall before reappearing with more hay.

"Darcy? Are you in here?"

Darcy was slightly surprised when the colt dropped more hay onto his head; he didn't expect anyone but maybe Caroline to miss him and no one to look for him, should they notice. The colt whinnied, nodding his large head and pawing at the wall, causing melodic laughter to ring through the stables.

"I, um, yeah..." Darcy hastily stood up, shaking his head violently to rid himself of hay.

"Knightley is a pretty mischievous horse, as you must have noticed, so I'll apologize on his behalf." Elizabeth said, smiling as she walked over. Seeing hay on Darcy's shoulders, she leaned over the stall door and brushed it off, clucking her tongue at him.

"It's quite alright, Ellie, no reason to apologize. I do believe I'd encouraged him by mistake…" He said, smirking softly. She'd donned her shorts, wet bathing suit staining the denim, but had refrained from putting her shirt back on, giving him a delightful view.

"I told you… whatever. Um, Mark said he couldn't find you and wanted to give you something…" Elizabeth sighed, grimacing slightly. She desperately wanted Darcy to just disappear for wrecking havoc on her emotions and being bi-polar. It wasn't fair he could be cute and charming one minute than then a deplorable ass the next. Mark told her he was okay, but Wick told her he was horrible. Elizabeth couldn't make up her mind which he was, either, receiving different accounts of Darcy, dumbfounding her; she didn't know what to think around him and if that was a bad or a good thing.

"Of course…" Darcy said, curious. Mark hadn't given any notion of wanting to give him anything before dinner. He swung the stall door open and exited with a final pat to both Lucky Star and Knightley, noticing Elizabeth swaying from side to side. Darcy could hear music in the background, making him frown slightly.

"Has music always—"

"Nah, mum just turned it on. No karaoke tonight, thank God. I mean, I love Mary, but her singing isn't that great, and—"

"May I have this dance, Ellie?" Darcy interrupted, smiling softly. Elizabeth froze, blushing slightly, going over the pros and cons of the situation; finding no way to deny him (and trying to persuade herself she actually wanted to), Elizabeth just nodded mutely. Darcy's smile grew slightly, knowing his was treading in dangerous waters, but he was unable to overcome the temptation. One dance couldn't hurt, could it?

Elizabeth soon found herself enveloped in Darcy's arms, moving tenderly to the music barely audible in the stable, face burning. She couldn't help but think of cliché chick flicks, wondering if this could be considered a scene from one, as Darcy led her, chin resting on her head. Even though Elizabeth was equipped with the knowledge that Darcy could be an ex-rapist, she couldn't help but feel safe, once again, in his arms… like nothing could possibly go wrong. It almost felt like the times when Faye was in the hospital and Tom cradled her in a tight hug with one of her other sisters, sitting in one of the vinyl chairs, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

"I'm going to spin you." Darcy said suddenly, making Elizabeth laugh at the spontaneity of his words, not believing them. She did believe him, however, when he took one of her hands and pulled her out of his embrace; Elizabeth spun on her toes, still laughing. When Darcy spun her back into his arms, the unexpected happened, for both of them. Swept up in the moment, Darcy felt possessed; it had been about two years since he'd last done anything like it.

He leaned close, so close Elizabeth could feel his warm breath ghosting off the panes of her cheeks, his eyes glued to her lips. Elizabeth's eyes fluttered shut, a fire starting in her belly; she tightened her grip on Darcy's waist as he did to her. And then, it all ended with a bang, lit up with a red light from a firework.

Caroline Bingley opened the door, revealing the pair to the night sky and fireworks starting to shoot up in the sky, mouth open, the word, "Darcy," halfway out of her painted lips.

Darcy pulled away from Elizabeth as if he'd been burned; Elizabeth flushed bright red, angry with herself and Caroline for ruining her almost-kiss with the man she'd vowed to hate but couldn't for very long. Darcy looked from both silent women for a minute before leaving silently, brushing past Caroline and disappearing into the crowd awed by the fireworks.

"Don't fall too hard, Eliza. Will likes his virgins young and inexperienced." Caroline said, jealously shining in her words like a bright sun.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, eyebrows quirking together.

"Will can be a dashing, charming man when he wants to be… he's getting back into the dating business, see. He'd want a young, inexperienced virgin to make him remember his… _tricks_. You are an unnamed country college kid, and no one would believe you over Will. Ever. I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt, Eliza." Caroline said, saccharinely so, smiling sickeningly. Elizabeth paled as the woman left, a loud clap from the door shutting echoing through the stable after she left, freezing the young woman inside. Since Caroline's words matched Wick's, Elizabeth couldn't help but believe them; it was certainly very hard to believe, to be sure. But with two people's words riding on his shoulders and the man himself staying silent (Elizabeth conveniently forgot to ever ask him since the subject was so touchy and everyone could lie). Elizabeth pat Knightley and Lucky Star on their heads before leaving the stable, immediately searching for Darcy's tall figure; she found it standing next to Mark's slightly shorter one. Mark pat Darcy heartily on the back before leaving him, joining Mary on the poolside chairs.

"Heeeey, your face looks like something happened. Tell Aunty Char all about it, sweetie." Charlotte said, sliding a slick arm around Elizabeth's shoulders, having recently vacated the pool.

"Caroline said Darcy liked his girls as young, inexperienced virgins." Elizabeth whispered, casting a wary eye to the people around them. Charlotte let out a loud belly laugh, rubbing her arm comfortingly up and down her friend's arm; it was the closest she'd gotten Elizabeth to admit she had a thing for Darcy.

"Honey, Caroline Bingley wants Darcy in her too-revealing pants; she's just a jealous bitch. And, hell, that just means you're what he wants, so—"

"Charlotte!" Elizabeth interrupted, glaring up at her friends; however, when she saw the wide grin on Charlotte's face, she started laughing at the absurdity of the conversation.

"Yeah, I can believe that, but I'd rather have a guy who wants me for me, not because I'm a young, inexperienced virgin, Char." She said, elbowing Charlotte in the ribs. Charlotte pulled a face, taking her arm off of Elizabeth's shoulders, rubbing her now-sore ribs.

"You can't win 'em all, Lizzie, unless you're the heroine or leading female role of a book, video game, movie, et cetera." She said, causing Elizabeth to laugh again.

"I wonder what that'd be like, y'know…"

"Yeah… you'd have a, basically, perfect life. Sounds nice…"

The pair fell silent, looking up at the sky that was exploding with colors. Charlotte linked her arm through Elizabeth's, threading their fingers together as well. Both young women knew they wouldn't have many moments together anymore since Charlotte had finally finished college and was heading off to big cities while Elizabeth was still stuck in UT; plus, Charlotte was leaving with Bill to go to New York.

"Happy Independence Day, Lizzie… I'm finally independent myself." Charlotte whispered, throat closing up, but she promised herself she wouldn't cry until she was actually leaving.

"Happy Independence Day to you, too, Char." Elizabeth said, giving her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Elizabeth woke the next morning to sniffling; she looked beneath her bunk to see Jane with her laptop sitting nicely in her lap, hands pressed to her mouth and nose, tears threatening to fall.

"Jane?" Elizabeth asked, concern lacing her words. She'd never really seen Jane cry, ever, and she didn't want to, either.

"Charlie… he's gone." Jane said, looking up at her sister with glassy blue eyes.

**A/N**: _So, yeah, bye-bye Bingley! Sorry, this chapter… I dunno. I'm not too happy with it. I had it all planned out in my head, but it came out wrong or something. I'm not too sure if I like this chapter or not – well, I should rephrase that. I'm happy with it until I left for my grandparent's for five days and came back and wrote the rest, which is the 4__th__ of July BBQ; I might redo that bit, depending._

_I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in a modern-ish P&P where Jane and Charlie were dogs and Elizabeth and Darcy were their owners? The idea isn't quite developed yet, but I'm thinking about doing that or a modern Emma FF once I'm done with this one._

_~ Tobi_


	7. Like Clockwork

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: In the practice of elegant females, I decline your quest for knowledge.  
><strong>Song<strong>: Bittersweet by The Click Five  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Yeah… but she only has one side of the story. Aww, you might start hating him soon, then, lol. Thanks! :D I'm pretty sure, once I get all the details down, I'll do it.  
>CrossroadsofLife<span>: Thanks for reviewing! :) Yes, drama, wrapped up with Aunt Catty and Richard as the big bow on top.

**- Like Clockwork -**

Charlie looked to his right, to where he could see the clouds passing by, wondering if he'd done the right thing in bending to Caroline's will. She'd claimed urgent business and had immediately gotten all five of their party tickets to Boston, but Darcy had to decline, saying he had no business in Massachusetts nor did he want to risk his cats' lives on an unnecessary plane trip. He could remember his reasons to bending to Caroline's absurd wishes clearly, but Charlie wasn't sure if they were his own or not. Certainly, he hadn't wanted to leave Texas until their intended date in about five days, but after a conversation (read: argument) with Darcy, Charlie couldn't help but think leaving soon was the best choice. He could remember, quite clearly, the "talk" he'd had with Darcy since it had made him skip sleeping all together.

"_Charlie, I need to talk to you."_

_They'd just arrived home from the 4__th__ of July celebrations when Darcy cornered Charlie, Caroline smiling smugly when she passed. Charlie followed his friend curiously to the kitchen, already considering some conversation options that could possibly be the reason behind Darcy's need to "talk"._

"_This is about Jane—"_

"_Oh, she's wonderful, isn't she? I fancy I could fall in love with her before too long!" Charlie interrupted, beaming at his friend, not noticing his sister slip into the kitchen almost silently._

"… _To me, she's not so wonderful but merely great, but I mean no disrespect to her or you, Charlie. She's a lovely girl, granted, but not to my tastes. As I was saying, this is about Jane. You're far too attached to her, Charlie." Darcy sighed, something in his facial expression telling Charlie the lecture that was coming up was directed at both himself and the lecturer. Charlie was almost always able to detect when Darcy was arguing mentally with himself, for it created a curious downward tilt of his head, twitching eyebrows, and an almost comical flat-line frown to appear on his face._

"_We didn't come here for summer flings, though, Charlie, and I promised your parents to keep you from entering one. I know you'd try long-distance, but think of the pain you'd both be in. You can see but not touch. No kissing. No shagging, as you like to do. No seeing her face if you gave her a gift. Not a single thing you love in a relationship would be able to happen in person. Plus, Charlie, you fancy yourself in love about every two or three months with a new woman." Darcy said, not quite meeting Charlie's gaze until the end, confirming Charlie's suspicions. He knew Darcy, despite his original thoughts, had a thing for Elizabeth!_

"_Darce, mate, I know, but I really feel different about Jane, I really do. Plus, you're trying to smother your own—"_

_Caroline snorted, interrupting her brother and notifying the males she was listening in on their conversation._

"_Please, Charles, Darcy is just trying to stop you from making a fool of yourself. Jane Bennet doesn't actually _like_ you… didn't you realize?" She said, trying to sound consoling. She sounded more like a bitch than Charlie had ever heard._

"_Bloody hell she doesn't! You're just trying to—"_

"_Charlie, ignore her. Listen, she—"_

"_Don't tell me you still think Jane doesn't like me, too, Darcy!" Charlie interrupted Darcy, rounding on his friend, blue eyes ablaze with a fire no one had seen before. He watched as Darcy paused to consider his words._

"_I won't say anything like that Charlie, for I have changed my mind and believe she's just shy about her feelings for you now. She never blushes or smiles as much when she's not with you. This is beside the point, however. I feel you should… abstain from women. You say you feel differently about Jane? Maybe you're just horny. Maybe you actually do. Either way, you're leaving soon, anyways. I present a challenge to you: show me Jane is higher than all in your exes. Show me you can actually be a man, Charlie." Darcy said, blinking slowly. Charlie could see the determination in his eyes, as if he was challenging himself as well, and soon found himself nodding._

"_I accept. What's the challenge?" Charlie said, crossing his arms defensively over his chest. Although he felt Jane was different, he didn't like challenges much, and one given to him by Darcy was sure to be a difficult one._

"_Stay away from all women. No flirting, no dates, no hookers, no going to strip clubs, nothing. If you still feel the same about Jane as you do now when school lets out—"_

"_But that's ten months from now!"_

"_Exactly. You've never held a serious relationship in your life, Charlie. Jane is too sweet a girl to be taken in by you and thrown away when you're bored, as she's not the type of girl to take you in for your money and throw you out when she's bored. If you still find Jane on your mind all the time, as being away from your love should do so, then I'll tell your parents you're a man actually in love now and not just a spoilt boy who likes loose-morale girls." Darcy finished, making Charlie balk. His parents thought he was a spoilt boy who only liked loose-moral girls? He scowled, glaring at his friend._

"_Like you can talk. The longest relationship you've had is, what, four months? Hardly a serious relationship. And you haven't been dating recently, only looking from afar!" Charlie rebounded, his fear from not being able to accomplish the challenge turning into anger at the one who proposed it. He knew immediately it was the wrong route to take since Darcy closed the gap between them and grabbed Charlie's collar, eyes narrowed._

"_You're sounding very much like the spoilt boy your parents believe you to be, Charles. I tell them otherwise, but with this display, I'm not quite convinced anymore. Stop being a coward and fight for once. This isn't about me but you and Jane, so don't go trying to insult me when I'm trying to protect you from making one of the worst mistakes of your life." He all but gnarred into Charlie's face, scaring the young man slightly. Charlie had seen Darcy mad before, but it had never been directed at him. He continued to scowl at Darcy before the older man decided it was a lost cause, dropping Charlie's shirt collar and walking away._

Charlie sighed heavily, still looking out the plane window, deciding then and there he'd go with the challenge to prove two things: 1. Jane was different, and 2. He could – nay, he was a man.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Darcy sighed, leaning back against the headboard of the bed, gazing up at the tiny slip of paper he was fingering. He was so very sorely tempted to use the information written upon it, but he knew not to. Darcy couldn't give her hope of something that could never be.

"Bollocks… I shouldn't have gone…" He muttered, arm dropping onto his bare chest, looking at the one window in the hotel room. Because of the one tiny slip of paper he'd put into his wallet after receiving, he was in one of the hotels in Austin that allowed pets; it was driving him insane. If someone had told Darcy that, one day, he'd go mad over a piece of paper, he probably would've laughed in their faces or waited until he was alone to die of laughter. Daisy and Roland had explored the hotel room, meowing from time to time, but now they were nestled against Darcy's side, purring as he scratched both of them absentmindedly. For maybe the hundredth time since he'd stepped into the hotel, Darcy remembered the conversation.

"_Hey, I see Lizzie found you. Weren't doing any Independence Day smooching, were you?" Mark asked, winking as Darcy walked up to him. Darcy felt the back of his neck grow warm and a sheepish feeling enter his gut; he'd almost committed the act. For once in his life, he was thankful for Caroline's interference._

"_Naaah, I know you blue-blooded Brits don't do that until you're married. Anyways, I've got something for you, broski. Yes, broski. I can't very well call any of the Bennet girls that, since they'd kill me – Lizzie would kill me for Jane, so you're now the person I shall call 'broski', and you shall be my broski." Mark said jovially, grinning as Darcy raised an eyebrow. Darcy couldn't help but smirk and roll his eyes at the audacity of Mark's silliness; it reminded him of Richard._

"_So, broski, see this little doll? Listen up, and listen well. It has Lizzie's email and phone number – y'know, just in case you decide to try the long distance relationship thing. But, broski, if you break her heart or hurt her, you'll feel the wrath of her older brother – me, if you must know." Mark suddenly turned serious as he held the small slip of paper out to Darcy. He was reminded of himself and Richard when Georgiana had started dating again after the Wickham incident, making him nod._

"_Trust me, I'll try to do anything but." Darcy said, solemnly taking the paper and sticking it in his back pocket with his wallet. Mark nodded, looking over to where Elizabeth and Charlotte were, arm in arm, hand in hand, with a forlorn look._

"_I don't know if you have any younger siblings or anyone you consider one, but I almost helped raised those girls since their mother was in and out of the hospital quite a bit and their aunt didn't want to take care of them. She hates kids. It hurts, Darcy, when they're sad… really bad. I don't ever want to see their hearts broken by a man that's not worth it." He said, shoving his hands into the pockets in his swimming suit. Darcy observed the man he'd considered carefree closely, watching his gaze settle from one Bennet girl to the next._

"_I have a younger sister whom I personally raised; I understand you perfectly well. I promise you, I won't purposely hurt Elizabeth nor any of the other girls." Darcy said, also ignoring the fireworks and watching a Bennet girl instead, memorizing every curve and plane of her body. It would probably be the last time he set eyes on her._

"_That's all I ask for, man, that's all I ask for."_

Darcy, once again, sighed. He glanced down at the cats warming his ribs and smiled slightly.

"If I see Elizabeth Bennet again and feel the same as I do now, should I pursue her, distances between us be damned?" Darcy asked, causing both cats to look up at him. Daisy mewed, rubbing her head against his bicep, and Roland hefted his top half onto Darcy's torso, purring even louder.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said, slipping the paper back into his wallet. For once, Darcy didn't feel like he could count on the cats and their positive reinforcement of whatever he said (he was pretty sure it was just because he fed them), and so he pulled out his cell and pressed the number eight.

"Hey, hey, hey, who's this stranger?"

"Ritz, I need your help." Darcy sighed, somehow already wanting to punch his cousin in the face or give him a good noogie.

"What, no, 'Hey, Ritz, I hope you didn't blow anything up in the business like the tabloids say'? I thought you'd be—"

"Don't tell me you blew something up, Richard."

"Shit, you didn't know? Bollocks, I just screwed myself. No, 'course not, Fitz; I just set the coffee machine on fire. Totally different than blowing something up, as you should recall. So, tell your favorite cousin in the world what you need help with so you can hopefully forget about my pyromaniac tendencies until you get officially questioned by some magazine or another."

Whatever headache Richard ever gave Darcy when he called was worth it. Darcy couldn't help but chuckle dryly, shrugging even though Richard was in England.

"Ritz… how do you get over girls so quickly?"

"Holy shit! _Holy shit_! Bloody hell!"

Darcy could practically see Richard flinging things from his desktop, scrambling out of his chair like a mad man; by the sounds of breaking glass and a female voice asking if everything was okay, he was pretty sure Richard was doing exactly what he was envisioning.

"Okay, surprise gone, denial coming. Who is the unfortunate lass, Fitz? I'll spill my secrets after you've spilled yours. Oh, it wouldn't happen to be that one girl Georgie knows, is it? Because while she's pretty fine, she's—"

E

"Caroline Bingley is the farthest away from ever being in a relationship with me as Anne, Ritz. Don't mention her again. As you know, I accompanied Charlie to Austin, Texas to make sure he could stand the heat, and… I met her. The land he bought is just outside of Austin – Meryton – and she lived about two houses down or so from him even though that translated into about five miles, give or take. At first, I thought nothing of her because she's so young and looked drunk to me – she wasn't, before you ask – but since Charlie took a fancy to her older sister, I got to see quite a bit more of her…" Darcy sighed, envisioning the frustrating Elizabeth Bennet. Although he didn't want to admit it, he wouldn't mind one bit if she and her willful self had joined him in going to Dallas; she'd make the ride much more interesting, to be sure.

"Awww, Fitz has finally shown the world he's not gay or asexual! Go on, tell Ritz all the gory details of this lass."

Darcy rolled his eyes, remembering the magazine article Richard was probably referring to from a couple years back. The magazine had printed that he must be trying to find his sexual orientation since he'd gone five months with out a significant other; the same magazine later printed at least five stories, two months later, about Darcy and the young woman he'd started dating from Argentina.

"They're hardly gory, Ritz, as nothing happened. Her name is Elizabeth Bennet, but everyone calls her 'Lizzie' most of the time. She didn't allow me to call her that, though, and I had to call her 'Miss Elizabeth' for a while before she requested, while drugged, that I call her 'Ellie'. Speaking of drugged, you'll never guess who the poxy bastard was – _Wickham_. Our Wickham." Darcy had to stop then, as Richard started letting loose strings of colorful words a sailor would be proud of.

"Don't tell me you left with out saying anything; I'll disown you if you do." He fumed into the phone after a bit. Darcy pulled a face, wondering if he'd done the right thing.

"I haven't exactly left yet; I'm still in Austin. But I didn't say anything… however, I did get someone Ellie trusts to keep her as far away from his band as he can keep her. They're leaving in two days, anyways, going down to Houston or Galveston. I won't ever say anything, and you know bloody well why, Ritz. It'd—"

"Mortify Georgie, yeah, I know. 'Specially if she didn't know the people you told. I guess that's as good as you can do if you're not talking… alright, since everything has been innocent so far, tell me why you called and need my help."

Darcy fell silent after Richard spoke, remembering what seemed like a dream, grip tightening on both his cats. God, he'd wanted to kiss her so bad… she looked so inviting, so innocent…

"Oh, no, silence is bad, especially from you right now. Don't tell me you did something to her, Fitz."

Richard speaking brought Darcy back to the present, causing him to scowl.

"She thinks I hate her, Ritz." He said quietly, remembering back to when he'd found her, drugged, at the bar. Darcy was just glad Elizabeth didn't hate him.

"Well… that's different. What'd you do?" The sarcasm from Richard's statement practically slapped Darcy across his face.

"She overheard me tell Charlie something… hell, I don't even remember what now, just that it was horrible and about her. I apologized to her, however… I mean, she gets me so… it probably seems like I hate her since I feel the need to make her mad since she's so adorable when she is… and, bloody hell, I never realized how much we fought before I apologized… but after that, she started it, I swear. She'd say something, like call me old man, and then I'd retaliate, of course…" It was then Darcy realized how much of a dick he must have seemed like before he and Elizabeth had made up. Then he made sure he'd always had his way around her just because of that Bill guy sticking his nose into the whole mess.

"Oh ho, seems like this Lizzie girl makes you doubt yourself. I like her already, Darcylicious." Richard cackled merrily, making Darcy scowl.

"She does not! Just… reconsider how I've acted around her… and don't call me that. One day, you'll slip when being interviewed or something, and then the whole world will know about that incident. You bloody well know I was plastered when that happened!" He hissed, wishing the memories not to arise as Richard's laughter became louder.

"I'm pretty sure if your Elizabeth heard the story she'd love you for it!"

"Don't make me hang up and replace you."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Anyways, next time you see her, mate, just be a nice bloke all the time. Try and woo her… wait, you think you won't ever see her again, don't you. You don't have any way of contacting her."

Darcy winced, the hand petting Daisy and Roland immediately jumping to his back pocket.

"I… didn't inquire her about it, personally, but her elder-brother figure, Dr. Mark Jones, gave it to me himself… but—"

"God, Fitz, the first woman who has ever made you sound embarrassed about your arse-like behavior, and you think it's just a summer thing or something? I can't believe you. I just might be the one to hang up this time with incredulous thoughts about how we're related."

Darcy scowled once more, willing himself not to hand up. He had called for advice, after all.

"She's twenty-one, Ritz!"

"And you're twenty-eight, almost twenty-nine, Fitz. It's only about eight years. You know your parents were twelve years apart, so don't go feeding me shit about an age difference. I guess, in the dating stage, you could feel cautious… she's too young for anything serious, probably, and you probably feel ready to settle down or go serious after raising Georgie. But, come on, live in the moment for once in your life when you're sober or not torn up about shit happening. Maybe, just maybe, you're kismet lovers and—"

"I'm hanging up, now, Ritz. You know about me and Romeo and Juliet."

"Yeah, he was just a horny prat and she was just a misguided little girl, like Wickham and Georgie, it doesn't deserve to be so famous… I know. Well, I hope your Elizabeth pops up again, anyways. I'd love to meet her."

Darcy sighed, once again, snapping his phone shut, knowing he was doing quite a bit of sighing ever since his talk with Charlie.

"Ellie, what have you done to me, you obstinate, onerous girl…"

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears when Bill came up to her during breakfast after she'd consoled Jane for around an hour.

"My dearest Eliza—"

"First of all, I'm not your dearest. Second of all, I hate that nickname; it sounds so pompous." She interrupted, curling her lip at the though. It brought Darcy to the forefront of her mind, and she didn't want to think about him at the moment. Elizabeth was more or less convinced he and Caroline had gotten Charlie to leave early with out saying good-bye.

"… Elizabeth, I know you had your flings and I had mine, but I want you to know I can always tell Charlotte that you've changed your mind, as I've been telling her you will, and will have to take her place when I go see Lady Catherine during the new year. I know it might be hard, since she is your friend and all, but if she hates you because of it, don't be alarmed. She not very pretty, anyways, and—"

"Hold it right there, buster. I have no intention what so ever to date you, ever; I've already explained this once. I'm not going with you like some sort of trophy girlfriend to some crack-headed old lady's boring old party. Never will I ever let you be allowed near me, or this house, in the future. Got it, Willy?" She interrupted, again, a deep glower forming on her face. Bill gave a nervous smile, sweat starting to form on his brow.

"I know, due to the practice of elegant females, that you're playing hard to get. However, I am willing to accept your apologies for you harsh words and let bygone be bygones if you stop this madness at once." He said, wringing his hands behind his back nervously. Bill had never been one to like a temper pointed at him, nor had he ever done well under what he perceived as pressure. He knew Lady Catherine wanted him to find an intelligent, pretty young woman to marry soon and that she expected the woman to be at his side by the time she went to New York to check up on her business and hosted her annual new years party.

"Hard to get isn't even – I wouldn't ever do that to any man because that's just selfish and wrong in my opinion. Sure, it'd be nice to be fought for, but that's – nevermind. Willy, just go. Leave me alone. I'll say this for a third and final time: I will never, ever date you." Elizabeth said with finality, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away.

"Men are chauvinistic pigs." She muttered crossly.

"You say it, sister. I can't believe the nerve of men sometimes." Lydia huffed, after she controlled her unabashed laughter at Bill, pouting. Kitty immediately nodded, along with Jane, but Mary uncharacteristically said nothing. Ever since she'd slinked into the house at nine in the morning, she'd been dead silent, not saying where she'd spent the night or anything. Elizabeth had been too tired the night before to notice her sister's absence and had taken the top bunk out of habit; it wasn't until she'd left Jane in their room that she detected the absence.

"Mary, isn't this the time where you usually say something along the lines of, 'What are men compared to rocks and mountains'?" Kitty asked innocently, caught up in the man-detesting vibe being spread around the table. She was right, however, that Mary was usually the loudest with complaints about men in general.

"What are men to rocks and mountains, indeed. I won't be welcome around this table, would I?" Tom tantalized, coming into the kitchen. He and Faye had eaten earlier, explaining the high levels of estrogen at his dinner table, already hating the opposite sex before noon. Tom immediately was met with broad smiles and giggles.

"Surely, daddy, you jest! You're always welcome, even if we're in a man-hating phase. You're not a mad; you're our daddy." Lydia said with a big grin, sending Kitty into titters.

"Yeah. We'll always love you, daddy," Elizabeth seconded, pausing for a second, adding, "As long as you'll stay sane," as an after thought.

"It is not I who will undoubtedly go insane, for I already have. I'm married and have five silly girls." Tom said, smiling warmly at his daughters who returned the favor in kind. When his eyes landed on his eldest, he remembered something of importance.

"Oh, Jane, your aunt and uncle Gardiner want to know if you're still okay for visiting them over your Thanksgiving break. They know how your mother will fret, and—"

"They live in Derbyshire, right?" Jane asked, interrupting Tom, thinking of Charlie. She knew Darcy had a home in Derbyshire, and there was always the possibility Charlie, who probably had no reason to celebrate Thanksgiving, would spend the week with his friend.

"Not anymore, no. That was Maddie's childhood area; they live in downtown London now. However, they decided last night they'll be taking you to Hawaii instead of their home." Tom said, corners of his mouth tilting upwards. He knew why Jane was asking and would have to tell Faye her daughter was catching onto some of her ways.

"Oh, okay. I just wanted to see some English countryside, you know. I've heard it's very beautiful around there. Anyways, yes, I'm still going; mum has known of this since Kitty and Lydia went to the Keys with them for spring break last year. She can't fret too much when the time comes." Jane said, shrugging. Elizabeth looked curiously over at Jane, knowing while the English countryside was beautiful, it wasn't her reason for wanting to be there.

"Lizzie-Bell, they want you for spring break this year. They know you're interested in the culture surrounding England and want to take you around whatever they can of it. Your uncle also mentioned something about introducing you to some British lads in hope you can snag your dream man." At the end, Tom couldn't help but smile wryly at his favorite daughter. Elizabeth dissolved into giggles with Lydia and Kitty, the former two exchanging identical looks of skepticism.

"The day Lizzie falls for someone will be the day Willy makes sense!" Lydia said, still snickering.

"That would be most unfortunate, Lydia, for I fear he never will." Tom said, causing his girls to all laugh, even Mary.

"It's good to see the man-abhorring atmosphere has gone." Mary said quietly, quieting the entire room. She flushed bright red and fled from the table, her breakfast half done, when everyone stared at her in amazement.

"Wow… I thought she was lesbian." Lydia said after a few minutes of silence.

"For sure… always berating the male species, I thought so, too." Kitty said, the look of shock still evident on her face.

"You mean one of my baby girls has a boyfriend?" Tom asked, coming the closest to a pout that any of the Bennet girls had ever seen.

"Seems so. Come on, Kitty, let's go see is any of the Lucas boys are at home! They're so cute, and they can help me get over Brad!" Lydia said, smiling, grabbing Kitty's hand before they, too, left the table.

"You should go pack, Lizzie." Jane said, gathering up the dishes. Elizabeth shot her a confused glance, pouting.

"But we've got a bit over a week before we planned to go back!" She said, standing up. Jane raised an eyebrow, as if asking why she had to explain.

"We're not leaving at six p.m. again just because you procrastinated on packing and doing your summer work." She said, turning her back to Elizabeth to do the dishes. Tom chuckled before leaving the girls, shaking his head; Elizabeth followed him, still pouting, going to the bedroom. Mary wasn't present, so she picked up her cell and pressed the speed dial for Charlotte.

"Lizzie, if you're looking for Bill, he's over here." Charlotte said as soon as she picked up, sounding irritated.

"Oh, no, I wasn't looking for him, just procrastinating to tick Jane off. Speaking of him, are you really going with him to that old hag's party or whatever? Posing as his girlfriend?" Elizabeth asked, sitting down on the bottom bunk she shared with Jane unless Mary was out for the night. It was surprising, but, she was out at night at least once every two weeks. Each time she came home, she kept her silence about where she'd been or whom she'd been with.

"Uh, yeah, about that… I'm allowed to bring two guests with me. The old hag, as you put it, is filthy rich and will hopefully be the owner of the business I want to work for. I know you don't like Bill, and he might take it the wrong way. Can you please come with me? I promise we'll have a laugh behind Lady Catherine's back when we're alone in our hotel room. I know you'll get a kick out of her and her old-fashioned ways." Charlotte said, speaking quickly. Her desperation for Elizabeth was blatant at the end.

"Oh, um… do you know who else will be there? And who's your second person?" Elizabeth asked, mulling the idea over. She couldn't help but wonder if Darcy would go; she remembered Bill saying something like his lady praised Darcy. Elizabeth could smack him around a bit if he did show up, getting revenge for Jane and Wick at the same time.

"Her nephews… um… her daughter… maybe her niece… and any of their guests. All of us are allowed to invite up to two people, like I said. My other guest would be Maria since she really, really wants to see a butt load of snow for Christmas… it'd just be a bit late." Charlotte replied swiftly, adding, "I don't know who her relatives are, before you ask, except her daughter – and I only know her through Wikipedia. She's nineteen or twenty, I think, and her name's Anne."

"Uumm… I was gonna head back here for winter break, but—" Elizabeth stopped speaking when the door to the room opened, revealing a simmering Jane.

"Elizabeth Josephine Bennet!" She cried, hands on her hips. It didn't take Jane more than four seconds to reach the bunk and start to wrestle with her younger sister, attempting to get the cell.

"Jane Tiffany Bennet!" Elizabeth retaliated, keeping her phone out of her sister's snatching hands.

"Get off the phone and stop procrastinating! Charlotte, I know you're on the other end; stop encouraging her!" Jane said, taking a hold of the cellular device; Elizabeth snatched it right back in no time at all, sticking her tongue out.

"Um, yeah, Jane mad. I'll say yes for now, but don't be too disappointed if my mum or dad says no later when I ask. Bye-bye, Charlotte!" Elizabeth said before snapping the phone shut audibly, wagging it in front of Jane's face, grinning triumphantly.

"Please, Lizzie, I really, _really_ don't want to be driving at midnight again. Just pack…" Jane sighed, relenting in trying to get the phone, rolling onto the floor with a defeated look.

"Charlie will ask you out, no doubt, when he comes back 'cause by then, I'll have beaten both Darcy and Caroline senseless. Don't worry, Janey-poo, I've got your back." Elizabeth said, missing Jane's half-hearted glare when she stepped over her, heading to the closet.

"Lizzie, those look far too large to… those are Darcy's, aren't they?" Jane said when she saw Elizabeth pick up a rather large pair of sweats from the clean laundry pile.

"Huh. Didn't realize mum washed these. Damn, I wonder if he'll miss these…" She said, eyeing the pants carefully. They'd been quite comfortable since they were so large on her. Jane just shook her head at her sister, snorting quietly.

"When you two get married, I call maid of honor."

"Sorry, Charlotte already called that position for this fake marriage everyone is predicting for me and that dick."

"What! No way! Sisters totally get first dibs!"

"Sorry, Charlotte already called it."

"I'll give you chocolate."

"Trying to bribe the judge, are you? … How much chocolate are we talking about?"

_- (Crappy break line) -_

It wasn't long before school started up again, wrapping both Jane and Elizabeth up in schoolwork, their jobs, and getting back into the school funk. Much to Elizabeth's chagrin, she didn't keep in touch with Charlotte very well, and her favorite clothes to laze about in were the one's that she got form Darcy. Jane didn't say much after her first inquiry about the clothes, finding it easier to let Elizabeth argue with herself over why she wore the clothes of a most abominable man.

Charlie, up in Massachusetts, had never before made better grades. With the challenge set firmly in his mind and Jane walking in his dreams, he avoided all parties, get-togethers, set-ups he could detect and leaving them if he accidentally went on one, and never got a girlfriend. He had surprised even himself; it was hard, sometimes, to stay away from the thing he'd come to think of as a regular occurrence in his life. Charlie's parents were quite pleased with the change; Caroline, however, wasn't. She was furious Charlie wouldn't even talk to Georgiana Darcy, whom she tried to set him up with regularly on the weekends. Caroline was very keen to spoil Charlie's challenge in their Thanksgiving break since their parents were sending her, Charlie, Darcy, Louisa, Gerard, and another one of their younger sisters to Hawaii to congratulate Charlie on his excellent grades. She was pretty sure at least one of the hula girls would catch his eye.

Caroline was surprised after midterms rolled away, leaving a week-long Thanksgiving break in their wake, when she saw Jane Bennet on Honolulu with a pair of adults. If she couldn't get Charlie, she'd make sure to get Jane. You couldn't have a couple with out two people, after all, and if Jane thought, with further prodding from Caroline, that Charlie would be presenting Georgiana with a ring by the spring… well, that couple would be one short. So, she scheduled a visit with Jane, only to come almost two hours late with the excuses of needing to watch Charlie and his lovely Ana ("Ana" was a much better nickname in Caroline's opinions than "Georgie") to make sure they didn't do anything inappropriate even though Georgiana was still in New York, and dash any hopes Jane had left of going on a date with Charlie. Caroline could tell, although she presented herself well, that Jane was bothered throughout the luncheon about Charlie and his nonexistent relationship with "his dearest Ana".

Jane, in turn, couldn't believe the audacity of Caroline; she came late and then directed subliminal insults at Jane for the rest of the time they spent together while she bragged about how much of an advantageous marriage it'd be between her brother and Darcy's little sister. All her past actions from the summer were, as Elizabeth had always suggested when they were alone, were a lie; it shocked Jane somewhat at the turn of events. She'd actually been duped by Caroline into thinking she was a sweet young woman. If her aunt and uncle noticed her dampened mood after she had lunch with her friend from the summer, they said nothing. Elizabeth noticed the change when Jane got back and questioned her about it, only receiving one-syllable answers in return until she broke down crying one night. Jane spilled the whole story that night, making Elizabeth's seed of abhorrence for Darcy and Caroline grow; from then on, the shirt and sweats that had been Darcy's were shoved to the bottom of their closet to share space with the old clothes that didn't fit or that neither wanted. Jane went on a couple dates and went to a few parties between Thanksgiving Break and Finals, but she always came back with a depressing little smile, saying there was no spark.

Finals soon rolled around along with the winter break prospects. Jane didn't say anything when she saw Elizabeth get out the t-shirt and sweats again when she started studying for her tests, only reflecting on whom the original owner's best friend was and how much of a jerk he had to be; when this happened, Jane always remembered he hadn't led her on… just acted really friendly. It was a never-ending cycle of anger then realization and depression, but she never let Elizabeth see. Both girls went home to Meryton for Christmas, the car ride, for once, almost silent the whole way down. Mark spent his Christmas with the Bennet family, bizarrely curious about whom Elizabeth emailed, texted, or phone called; he seemed disappointed after he was done interrogating her. Elizabeth drove back up to Dallas with Maria in tow on the 26th so they could make their flight to New York that headed out of Dallas, thoughts about what Charlotte had told her to pack.

"Bring your best clothes – and I mean like that no-back dress, Lizzie. Seriously. Also, bring your warmest clothes – and extra money, just in case we need to go shopping if you're not warm enough – and your bathing suit. Yes, your bathing suit, you heard me right." Charlotte had said, almost laughing. When Elizabeth had asked her to explain, she laughed even harder for a minute before replying, "Well, when in Lady Catherine's company, you need to wear black tie event clothes. Anything less and she'll think you a hobo. For the warm clothes, I believe that's self-explanatory: New York winter with snow and all that. Bring your bathing suit because there's a warmed, indoor pool and hot tub at the hotel you're staying at; I believe you'd like a soak in the hot tub at least once, if not every night after being in Lady Catherine's company."

"I'm so nervous about meeting this Lady Catherine woman." Maria confessed on the car ride to DFW, the Dallas Fort Worth area airport, on the 27th. Their flight was scheduled to leave at nine in the morning, so they left Elizabeth and Jane's apartment around six.

"Don't be, girl. It's just an old hag who probably thinks herself much better than the rest of us." Elizabeth said, smiling comfortingly at the girl just a year younger than her. It would be Maria's first time out of Austin, so she was probably a bit nervous about that, too.

"But she might be Char's boss someday! What if I do something wrong and-and make her mad or something, so she won't give Char the job!" Maria said, not at all calmed. Her freaking out had been bottled up with her excitement, all tumbling out at once.

"Don't fret, Rios. Only the clinically insane wouldn't hire a good worker because their younger sister held her teacup wrong or something. Heck, since I'll be there, she won't even notice you and focus all her old bag lady sneers at me; I'll make sure to be as horrible as possible." Elizabeth sighed, using Maria's nickname that was seldom used anymore. After she'd learned Spanish in 8th grade, Elizabeth had accidentally called Maria 'Rios' instead of 'Ria' since they sounded so similar, and ever since then, 'Rios' had stuck around, replacing 'Ria'. Maria laughed at that, trying to envision the lady she'd Google'd as an old bag lady; since every picture of Catherine de Bourgh showed her in a gaudy dress, it was very hard but also very amusing.

"That's it, Rios, just imagine her as your boggart. Laugh at her until the fear is gone! Oooooh, I wonder if she'd look good wearing the clothes Neville's grandma wears…" Elizabeth wondered out loud, cracking up with Maria.

"But she wears things like that, minus the real animal things!"

"No way, really? I love this woman now!"

The pair continued to laugh at Lady Catherine until they reached the airport since Elizabeth wanted to make sure everything was good to go, especially the car when they got back. It was the only car she and Jane had, their only mode of transportation at the current, so she couldn't lose it. Maria understood and was overcome by her jitters again, as all the stories she'd heard about airplanes and such were horrible ones.

"Okay, don't say bomb, gun, drugs, terrorist, grenade, AK-47, rocket launcher, al Qaida, Iraq, underwear, or anything close to that anytime soon, Rios. It'd be pretty bad." Elizabeth whispered after she'd dropped off and paid for the car to be parked for a week. Maria giggled, unsure if she was being serious or not. They slowly made their way through customs, security and all that jazz, taking time to stop by one of the over-priced restaurants when they were done since airplane food, other than the free peanuts, was even more expensive. When the time came to board the plane, Elizabeth got a piece of gum from her pocket for herself and Maria, telling the young woman to start chewing since it'd help with the pressure change making her ears pop.

Maria and Elizabeth exchanged seats when they got onto the plane since Maria wanted the window seat; Elizabeth got stuck in the middle, hoping someone agreeable (or, more preferably, no one at all) took the seat to her right before the plane started. To her initial dismay, an up-tight businessman took the seat, but after the plane was up in the air with Maria cooing about how the world looked so different way high up, the man pulled out a pillow and his iTouch and fell asleep.

"I didn't realize patchwork quits resembled the world! And cars can look like Hot Wheels!" Maria said exuberantly, finally turning to Elizabeth after they'd gone too far up to see the world below anymore.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool, right? On my first flight, I was pressed to the window, too, but I actually tried to grab the cars, apparently whining when I couldn't get them." Elizabeth said, remembering her father's face when he'd told the story. He'd looked so happy then, even if he was embarrassing her to his colleagues at a summer dinner.

"How old were you then?" Maria laughed, smiling widely. Up in the air, even though she was planted firmly in the plane, she felt as if her troubles were miles beneath her (which they, technically, were).

"Oh, around four or something. We were visiting my Aunt Maddie in England for her wedding with Uncle Ed… Lydia hadn't been born then, and Kitty was just an infant. It's too bad I don't remember it… I'd like to since Aunt Maddie is so wonderful." Elizabeth said, thinking of her favorite aunt and uncle, excitement making her jumpy. She'd finally be visiting England when she'd be able to remember it in just a few short months! On top of that, it was with two of her favorite people; it could only get better if she did find a Brit to fall in love with and marry there like Maddie and Ed had teased about.

The topic of favorite people, places to visit, and places they'd been to and loved sustained the two young women for the almost four hour flight. Maria was a good listener when Elizabeth told her stories of where she'd been (whether she remembered them or told Maria what had been told to her), and she couldn't stop rambling when she spoke of the places she wanted to visit one day. Both were slightly disheartened when the plane touched down and they had to direct their attention on getting their bags and finding Charlotte to give them a ride over to their hotel.

"I really, _really_ need to pee. Can you get my bag for me? I'll meet you by baggage claim." Maria said, after they exited into the terminal at JFK International.

"I'll find a map, ask for directions, whatever. Go on ahead so our stuff doesn't get lost or anything." She continued at Elizabeth's raised eyebrow. Not feeling too great about leaving Maria, Elizabeth went on ahead to baggage claim anyways, wondering if the younger girl would be all right.

While waiting by the conveyor belt spitting out all the luggage from their flight, Elizabeth felt like she was being watched; her suspicions were proven correct when a large hand lightly rubbed her back, making her jump with fright.

"Who the hell – _Darcy_?"

**A/N**: _A bit of a filler chapter… sorry, guys; also, if I'm skipping around too fast, sorry about that, too. And I have no idea how airports work anymore… the last time I was in one was in '05. HP shout out!_

_Okay, from here on out, I won't be following the P&P exactly… because in this day and age, Elizabeth would be marked as a gold-digger or something if she fell in love with Darcy only after reading his letter and him saving her sister. So, there will be ExD fluff abound. I hope no one minds. ;P Woot, Ritz and Fitz duo next chappie, along with Aunt Catty!_

_Also, any North & South fans out there? It kind of reminds me of P&P… so, all y'all who haven't seen it/read it, go do it, now! It's really good… and if you watch BBC's miniseries, you get to see Richard Armitage. ;D He'd make a great Darcy, no lie… or at least I think so. X3 Anyways, sort for the long A/N._

_~ Tobi_


	8. Oy Vey!

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: I'll follow you until you lose me, la-la-lawyer.  
><strong>Song<strong>: Falling For You by Jem  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Yeppers – HP = Harry Potter. :D Lol, they are… but I bet it's worse now because of that underwear bomber.  
>Dibs4me<span>: Thanks… I find chapters (reading or writing) with out some ExD actions a bit of a chore because that's what I want (and, hopefully, everyone else, too). I thought I'd be a bit different about the whole CxJ thing… well, Elizabeth still needs to find faults in Darcy, so, yeah. Thanks again. :)  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: It seriously did? xD Lol, parents always think we're crazy. It's totally not a bad thing, either. Thanks for reviewing.  
>Forever.: Howdy. :D Seriously? You must really fast then, lol! Thanks. HP is my childhood love, so it'd be a shame if it didn't pop up. Lol, no need to beg (although that's cool, too, if you still want to) – I'm hurrying.<br>CrossroadsofLife: Of course, lol! It'll go everywhere. :P Thanks for reviewing.  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you! :)

**- Oy Vey! -**

Darcy could hardly believe his luck when Charlotte had shown up at his aunt's penthouse; he knew, with out a doubt, Elizabeth would be one of her invites. He was doubly as elated when, on the 27th, Lady Catherine wanted Charlotte for tea so she couldn't pick up Elizabeth and Maria, her younger sister, from the JFK airport. Darcy wanted to go alone to pick the girls up; however, Richard, once he found out he'd be able to meet Darcy's Elizabeth, elected himself as a helper and went along with his younger cousin. They both carried their heavy jackets with them, bearing out the cold, since Charlotte was positive neither her sister nor friend would remember to have their heavy jackets somewhere accessible since they didn't need them down in Texas.

At JFK, they found out where Elizabeth and Maria's baggage claim would be, and Richard immediately volunteered to get them all hot chocolates (he was just as scheming as Georgie when it came to Darcy's love life). Darcy had to wait a bit before he spotted Elizabeth, and then he watched her for a bit just to make sure she wasn't just his imagination. After making sure, he walked up behind her, hand immediately going to her back that was covered with just a light, pale blue sweater; her blue jeans and trainers wouldn't be giving her too much warmth once she was outside, either. Darcy was sorely tempted to pick her up and twirl Elizabeth about, like he greeted Georgie, but he wasn't sure if she'd kick him where the sun didn't shine or not if he did.

"Who the hell – _Darcy_?" Elizabeth exclaimed, jumping up and away from him with fright. At Darcy's grin and silent laughter, she punched his chest and huffed, turning back to the conveyor belt, trying to ignore him.

"In the flesh, love. I wish I had picked you up now; it would've been hilarious. Anyways, you'll be needing this soon." Darcy said, dropping the extra jacket he'd been carrying onto Elizabeth's head unceremoniously. She'd gone oddly still after he first spoke, making him wonder if he'd already done something wrong; he knew he wasn't good at wooing since he was always being chased and never had to try before.

"Wait, what? Love? Picked up?" Elizabeth said, taking the jacket off her head so she could see again; from the smell and size of it, it was Darcy's. She yelped when he picked her up by the waist and twirled her around, and Elizabeth couldn't help but grab his shoulders in fear of falling since she wouldn't put it past Darcy to drop her suddenly.

"Like that. And the love bit, sorry, slip of the tongue. With the exception of Caroline, who really isn't in the category anyways, I call all my female friends 'love'… and Georgie, of course. Do you mind it? Anyways, which ones are yours?" Darcy said, after he'd put her down gently, turning to the conveyor belt himself. Elizabeth was a bit stupefied, wondering when Darcy considered her as a friend and not something held in contempt and why he was acting strangely (even the waning Christmas spirit shouldn't be able to do that). She took a good, long look at him, noticing a slight change from the summer months; Darcy's hair, usually just wavy, was curling dramatically over the edges of the dark gray beanie he had on that covered the tops of his ears and he seemed paler, making the stubble running along his jaw appear darker than she remembered. His countenance also seemed… happier, lighter even.

"Oh, um, I guess not… and mine is green and Maria's is neon pink and blue, but I can—"

"Just let him me a gent, little miss. You must be the infamous Elizabeth Bennet, are you not?" A man interrupted Elizabeth, making her look back and forth between him and Darcy for at least a minute. Her jaw dropped slightly when Darcy, shouldering Maria's heavier suitcase and rolling Elizabeth's, stood next to the man. It was like seeing double, almost; the new man, although he had the same build, was a bit rounder than Darcy as if he didn't have time to keep up his muscles, letting them fade away. His shoulders weren't as broad and he didn't look like he cared for appearances much, unlike Darcy; however, that's just about where the differences stopped.

"I thought Georgie was a girl, Darcy!" Elizabeth exclaimed, eyes still on the stranger. His hair was fairer than Darcy's at a mousey brown color, and it looked to be about the same length albeit much, much curlier. The man's deep green eyes danced with mirth as he turned to Darcy, chortling; his laugh even sounded similar to Darcy's, despite his voice not being the same low pitch!

"I love her already, Fitz!" He cried, patting Darcy's back with his free hand (the other was holding a Starbucks' carry-out box filled with four steaming cups). Darcy smirked down at Elizabeth, shaking his head slightly.

"Georgie is my little sister, Ellie; this is the biggest prat you'll meet." He said, elbowing the man, who was maybe an inch shorter than him at most, in the ribs.

"Hello, miss Elizabeth Bennet, my name is Richard Fitzwilliam, and I am The Shit." The man said, shifting the Starbucks container to his left hand and thrusting out his right. Elizabeth laughed, taking his much larger hand into hers; it was even rougher than Darcy's and bore tiny little nicks everywhere.

"Hello, The Shit." She said, wondering how Darcy and Richard, who appeared to be like fraternal twins, were related. Darcy never said anything about a brother, and Richard looked no older than 35, at the most, so he couldn't be an uncle.

"You only have to call me The Shit on Sundays, Lizzie; you can call me Ritz any other day. I'm Fitz's cousin, if you were wondering, since most people think we're twins at first glance." (1) Richard said, bringing Elizabeth's hand up to his lips for a chase kiss on her knuckles. She missed the look of envy on Darcy's face when she giggled, blushing slightly, when Richard returned her hand to her side.

"Whoa. Are y'all twins or something?"

The group turned around to see a gaping Maria. Richard immediately started to laugh, Darcy's smirk widened, and Elizabeth just shook her head, smiling knowingly.

"What? What's so funny? I want to know! Please!" Maria said, hurrying over to the trio, pouting slightly. She was slightly intimidated by Darcy and Richard, as they both towered over her and were quite fetching, but she held her ground by inconspicuously grabbing Elizabeth's hand.

"Ritz – that one – just got done saying he and Darcy are often mistaken for twins when you came along and asked if they were twins. Maria Lucas, this is Richard Fitzwilliam, The Shit – you only call him that on Sundays, by the way – or Ritz, and this is… Darcy. Call him whatever." Elizabeth said, as Richard was still laughing and Darcy didn't look like he was about to explain, pointing to each man when she said his name.

"Fitz, don't tell me you never told her your first name."

"… It never came up…"

"Bloody hell, mate, get into your big boy knickers already and accept Fitzwilliam is your first name! It's not so bad!"

"Yeah, you say it's not so bad, but would you say that if you grew up being called 'Fussywoody'?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth bit her lip as she watched them, trying very hard to not laugh at the pair; Maria was already beside herself, tears rolling down her cheeks. There was a small crowd gathering, watching the pair of men verbally insult each other (noogies and attempted wedgies would have ensued had their hands not been occupied) and elbows trying to snare the other one's ribs clashed together.

"Okay, break it up, boys. You're acting like children." Elizabeth said, stepping forward, arms raising to shove them apart even though she was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to move either of them even the slightest inch.

"We are not!" Darcy and Richard said at the same time, rounding on Elizabeth. She raised her eyebrows, as if asking, "Oh _really_ now?". Both men glanced at each over before shrugging, but when Elizabeth turned her back on them to look at Maria, Richard stuck his tongue out at Darcy, who pulled a nasty face at him. At Maria's renewed laughter, Elizabeth spun around, right arm raised warningly; they sighed at the same time before Richard looked down and Darcy looked up in exasperation.

"Oh yeah… forgot I had these… hot chocolate, ladies?" Richard said, laughing sheepishly, holding out the carry-out box towards the girls; each took one, thanking him.

"So, Fitz will be driving on the way back… I say we annoy him the whole way over to the hotel. Who agrees? Oh, here you go, Maria: a heavy jacket since you're only wearing a shirt. Best put these on now, girls." Richard said, taking the jacket thrown over his shoulder and presenting it to Maria. He grinned wolfishly when Elizabeth smirked, sending Darcy a mirth filled glance.

"Anyone who dares try to vex me will get their arse dumped out in the cold." Darcy said, giving both Richard and Elizabeth a meaningful glare, as the girls slipped the jackets onto their shoulders. The jacket Elizabeth donned, a puffy black one, fell down comically to her knees, the sleeves far bypassing her hands, and the shoulders drooping over hers; Maria looked a bit less funny, as she stood at 5"7, causing the jacket to just reach past her groin. However, just like Elizabeth, the jacket dwarfed her slimmer stature completely; Richard cracked up at the sight of them.

"You look like little girls trying on their daddy's clothes!" He said, receiving a heated glare from Elizabeth and an elbow to the ribs from Darcy.

"Wait, won't you guys be cold?" Maria asked as they started towards the exit, glancing over at Darcy and Richard. Both were wearing light jackets, as Maria and Elizabeth were wearing their heavier ones; they exchanged looks before Richard said, "No. We've endured winter on England." Elizabeth caught on to the lie, but Maria just shrugged, blissfully bouncing with excess energy in the front of their foursome. It wasn't too long before the group exited the airport, a cold wind greeting them with enthusiasm; Elizabeth immediately noticed Darcy's stiffened posture and took that as a sign he was cold. Her shins and feet were freezing, and she couldn't imagine what he and Richard must've been feeling. No one was surprised when, after getting into Darcy's car, he blasted the heat to defrost them before putting the girls' luggage in his trunk, shivering in an almost unnoticeable way when he got into the driver's seat.

"How'd your car get here, Darcy? Didn't you fly?" Elizabeth asked curiously, buckling herself in the backseat with Maria (Richard, having longer legs, was given the passenger's seat). Darcy glanced at her using the rearview mirror, shaking his head.

"No. I drove since the cats might not make it in a plane. Georgie wanted to see them for Christmas, and, besides, they're family." He explained as he backed out of the parking place, voice sounding a bit more reserved than in the airport. To Elizabeth, he almost seemed defensive when he said Roland and Daisy were family.

"That's understandable. Where will we be staying?" She said, trying to give Darcy a supportive smile; he nearly missed it as he was concentrating on driving. Elizabeth was surprised when he smiled back.

"At one of the Rosings hotels in New York – by central park. I really wanted to stay at the Ritz, but, of course, I can't give my business to anyone but my aunt in the hotel business." Richard said, huffing dramatically at the end. Maria giggled at the dramatics, trying to hide behind her cup of hot chocolate when Richard tried to look over the seat at her; he just grinned at her coy antics.

"She's probably half your age, Ritz, don't you dare try to—"

"Fitz, come on, I'm not doing anything! Honest, mate. Unlike you with—"

"I was serious about dumping you out in the cold, Ritz."

Elizabeth and Maria shared grins as Richard huffed once more, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling comically out of the window. The former couldn't help but wonder whom Darcy could want to woo and who would ever fall for him; sure, he was handsome, but his bi-polar-ness was a bit of a turn off. First, he acts like a real dick, and now he was being so… _cute_. It was just like back in Texas when he'd switch between both personas like it was nothing, although he had yet to show his true colors of jerkiness.

"You know, if it weren't illegal, I would've gotten you plastered, Darcylicious. You're much better company so pissed you can't see straight than sober." Richard said suddenly, grinning wickedly as he turned as far as he could to see the two female sin the back seat. Maria tried to hide behind her cup again, finding Richard much too good-looking for his own good, smiling all the while.

"What's up with that nickname? It sounds like there's a story behind it." Elizabeth asked, noticing how stiff Darcy was becoming, a tinge of pink dusted across his cheeks. Richard's grin turned wolfish as he glanced at his cousin, wondering if the trip in the cold would be worth it.

"Well, we all got shitfaced once – me, Fitz, and Charles Bingley – and started daring each other for the hell of it. Charlie dared Fitz to do a strip tease since he – you might not believe this – was damn popular in school with the ladies; the bloke did it while singing a fucked up version of Fergalicious. We still have that tape, but we never got to put it on YouTube because Fitz here has dirt on us." He explained, feral grin still intact. Elizabeth's expression mirrored his as she looked at Darcy, who'd gone quite red during the story, cackling evilly and trying to imagine a drunk Darcy; it was quite hard since she had yet to actually see him consume any alcohol besides a glass of fine wine.

"Richard, do you want me to tell the _intriguing_ story of when you got caught cheating on—"

"I love you and I'm sorry?"

"You're my slave for the duration of this visit."

"I'm sorry, Fitz, but I don't bend that way. Perhaps we can get Carrie over here to—I'll shut up now…"

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh when Richard pouted, leaning against the window in hope to put space between him and Darcy; she couldn't blame him since the latter looked positively murderous. The car ride was silent until they got to a place where Darcy could pull over; when he did, he glared at Richard until the message was sent.

"I'll see you lovely ladies soon, then. Cheerio!" Richard said, cheerfully for someone exiting a warm car to the cold winter weather, waving as he got out of the car. Elizabeth's jaw dropped when Darcy drove away, looking back at Richard and then at the back of Darcy's head, incredulous; she'd thought he'd been bluffing.

"Poxy prat had it coming." Darcy said, when he saw Elizabeth and Maria's faces, wearing the same skeptical emotion.

"So you were serious, then? Surely I deserve to get out, then?" Elizabeth asked crossly, not missing the intense, fleeting look Darcy sent to her with help from the rearview mirror.

"That threat was only for Ritz, and the tosser knew it." Darcy said apathetically; he didn't bother to explain he'd made sure Richard was left in a spot where taxis could be hailed, a warm coffee shop was just down the street, and that Richard knew his way around the city from frequent visits. It seemed a bit irrelevant to him since he thought Elizabeth knew he wouldn't leave his own cousin stranded to freeze his arse off. Elizabeth ignored Darcy for the rest of the ride, wondering how much crap Richard had to deal with from Darcy on a daily basis.

"We have a tight schedule to keep, so—"

"A what?"

"A schedule… agenda, if you prefer. (2) You two will be sharing a room since Charlotte is already sharing with Willy in the room adjoined to yours; Richard and I are across the hall from you. After we check you in, you'll have to change swiftly to something nice since my aunt expects nothing less than your Sunday best; once you've changed, I'll take you up to her penthouse." Darcy said curtly as he drove around in the parking garage for Rosings, looking for a space. Elizabeth and Maria exchanged looks, both suddenly feeling a bit repressed and nervous at meeting a woman who was, quite possibly, deranged. Darcy saw the sudden apprehension on both their faces and smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, we don't call her Aunt Catty for nothing."

He somewhat expected the slap upside the head he received from Elizabeth, knowing he'd probably earned it. The car was silent once more until he found a parking spot and parked, getting their suitcases despite Elizabeth's protests, leaving the girls to carry only their empty cups and carry-on bags. Elizabeth wished she missed the look Maria gave her, identical to Charlotte's "Hot and single – _really_?" look, causing her to blush slightly and not look at Darcy as he led them up to the fancy hotel since the parking garage was under the building. The girls were surprised to see Richard flirting with the woman behind the check-in desk when they entered the lobby.

"Took you long enough, Fitz. I was about to kicked out by dear Brenda here because, apparently, she's not supposed to flirt with anyone while she's working, related to Aunt Catty or not." Richard said, mock pouting; Darcy rolled his eyes.

"I apologize for him, Miss Brenda. I have Eliz—"

"Come on, Lizzie, Maria, let's leave Fitz to try flirting while I take you lovelies up to your room. Shall we?" Richard interrupted Darcy, grinning foxily as he flashed two room keys at Elizabeth and Maria, sticking both his arms out for them. Brenda laughed, immediately covering her mouth afterwards, as Darcy glared menacingly at Richard when he strutted towards the elevators, one giggling girl on each arm.

"Swear to God I'll kill him one day…" Darcy muttered, making Brenda laugh again, following his flamboyant cousin, Elizabeth, and Maria. He sulked, somewhat, until they arrived on the second floor and dropped off the suitcases in the room Elizabeth and Maria would share; Richard, after the door closed on them, promptly dragged him into their room, guffawing madly.

"Fitz, I'm so glad Lizzie is here; this will just make this visit a hell of a lot more fun for me and more pissy for you. You know, she struck me as a bit ordinary until I saw her pouting and blushing at you. That had to be the cutest darn thing I've ever seen on a girl. And when she finally smiled? I think she made everyone else who saw her face smile back." He said, stripping himself of his jacket and shirt, grinning teasingly at Darcy.

"You must have missed her eyes, then. God, I haven't seen her since the summer… she's even prettier now. I think she got a hair cut… her hair looks a bit different." Darcy said, following his cousin's example and stripping; they didn't have much time before Catherine would want them up for a late lunch party.

"Her eyes? Yeah, must've. I mean, they just look—"

Richard stopped, interrupted by a knock at the door; he looked pointedly at Darcy, flopping down behind the beds. As Darcy was closer to the door (and still had pants on), he answered the door after looking through the peephole and making sure Roland and Daisy were far away from it. Maria turned redder than a tomato in less than two seconds, hurriedly shoving the jackets at him before disappearing back into her own room.

"Aw, damn, Fitz, you scared the poor lass! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Like hell I did, you nutter! I didn't do anything but open the bloody door!"

"You must have scared her with your _ugly_."

"_Ugly_? Aren't you mistaking me for yourself, you twit?"

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"If she asks why we're late, it's y'all's fault." Elizabeth said crossly as Richard and Darcy, who were still muttering insults to each other, led her and Maria to the special elevator that only had one stop besides the lobby: Catherine de Bourgh's penthouse. Both she and Maria had been given an once-over by Darcy, who deemed them presentable enough (Maria wore a lavender dress that went down to her knees and Elizabeth wore a gray pencil skirt matched with a scarlet blouse); both Richard and Darcy wore button-up, long-sleeved shirts paired with a pair of black slacks.

"I'm blaming it on Fitz. He started it." Richard said when they reached it, earning him a sharp jab to the ribs.

"I just _opened_ the bloody _door_, and _you_—"

"How old are you two?" Elizabeth interrupted, stepping between the two cousins, not one bit daunted by both their heads towering over hers. Richard and Darcy settled for glowering at each other until the elevator came and took them up to their aunt's penthouse. Maria, who'd been oddly beet red and quiet ever since she'd come back from giving the men their jackets back, paled when they arrived at the topmost floor and could hear a high, sharp voice saying, "Where are my nephews? They should have been here by now!"

"I'm sure they didn't mean to be late, aunt – maybe they got stuck in traffic?" Another female voice consoled the first as the group of four let themselves into the room. As soon as Darcy was visible to her, she squealed in delight and (in a very unladylike manner) vaulted over the couch, careful not to flash anyone, grabbing him in a bone-crushing hug. If she didn't look almost exactly like a female version of Darcy from the glimpse Elizabeth saw, she would've thought the young girl was his girlfriend or something; it surprised her when he laughed heartily, twirling her around fondly.

"What am I, escargot?" Richard asked sullenly once the girl was out of Darcy's grasp; she laughed, rolling her bright blue eyes.

"You know I love escargot, Rizz!" She said, enveloping him in a slightly less bone-crushing hug; once she was done bruising/cracking ribs, the girl noticed Elizabeth and Maria and flushed. Elizabeth remembered her dark golden curls, pale, heart-shaped face and gorgeous deep blue eyes from somewhere, but she just couldn't place it. She could see the strong brow and full lips she recognized as traits she saw in Darcy, but that wasn't enough to make her think maybe the girl was one of Lydia or Kitty's old friends. The girl was quite tall, 5'9 at least, but she looked no older than 19 or 18, at the most.

"My sister, Georgiana." Darcy said, grinning warmly, throwing his arm over his sister's dainty shoulders; it was the happiest Elizabeth had ever seen him.

"Are you Elizabeth Bennet?" Georgiana asked quietly, nervously looking up at her brother and then at Elizabeth. Elizabeth's eyebrows rose at her immediate identification, wondering what kind of stories she could've heard from her brother's lips.

"Yes, I am, but you can call me Lizzie, Georgiana. This is Maria Lucas, Charlotte's little sister." She said, holding out her hand to Georgiana, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand completely and give her a shy hug before turning to Maria and doing the same.

"She's a hug-orientated person. If you don't hug her or get one from her, she doesn't like you." Darcy said teasingly, mussing Georgiana's hair affectionately when she returned to his side; she made a noise of objection, slapping his hand away.

"Fitzwilliam—" Both Richard and Darcy looked over to the elderly lady when she spoke; she sighed, agitated, somewhat used to this occurrence.

"Come and join us at the table, you're already late. Bill and Charlotte are waiting for us to join them. I would've been at the table, however, Anne's health and my own deteriorating back needed the softness of the couches."

It was then Elizabeth noticed the silent girl sitting on the couch Georgiana had vaulted over, timidly wringing her fingers in her lap. Richard immediately went to Anne's side and picked her up gently, carrying her into the kitchen.

"Anne is one of the few people who got surfer's myelopathy and didn't recover fully from it; she's paralyzed from the waist down. She was learning how to surf one spring break in California, and, ever since, her mother has been talking down to her like it was her fault." Darcy explained to Maria and Elizabeth quietly, following Richard with all three young women behind him. Elizabeth frowned slightly, trying not to pity Anne because she probably didn't want it, but she couldn't help it. She'd most likely been spending too much time with Jane.

"So, Eliza, tell us about yourself. You're the only one we don't know, besides Maria." The woman who Elizabeth assumed to be Catherine de Bourgh said chiefly when they were all seated, a servant quickly passing out the plates of salad and taking drink orders.

"Oh, um… what would you like to know?" Elizabeth asked, one eyebrow raised; Charlotte, who sat across from her, pulled a face slightly. She looked back at Catherine and saw he same severe, condescending look she'd seen on Darcy's face quite a bit, too much for her comfort.

"You obviously aren't married or engaged, but are you at least dating, like Bill and Charlotte? Seeing potential future mates?" Catherine asked, grabbing the gravy boat and, surprisingly, pouring it over her salad; an even queerer occurrence was that, instead of brown or white gravy, it had salad dressing in it. The gravy boat got passed around after Catherine's revelation of its contents, and the second gravy boat being inspected.

"Surely that's a bit personal?" Elizabeth asked, holding back a sneer of, "Why would I be using someone like Willy and Charlotte are?" Although she loved her friend, quite dearly, she didn't approve of her using Willy; it consoled her slightly that he was using her, too, and no fake affections passed between the pair. Richard quickly glanced at Darcy, seeing his cousin listening with rapt attention, wondering if their aunt noticed or even Elizabeth; Charlotte and Georgiana detected the change in Darcy, too.

"I wouldn't think so, Eliza. I could direct you to amiable mates. If I were younger, I'd surely be a great catch. In fact, my late husband, Harold…"

Elizabeth suddenly knew where Willy's rambling tendencies of boring crap no one wanted to listen to came from. She'd thought of him as the king; now she met the queen.

"What of your family, Eliza?" Catherine said, once she was done going on a tangent, catching Elizabeth as she was just about to stick a forkful of lettuce drenched in dressing into her mouth. Face heating up slightly, Elizabeth lowered her fork, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully.

"Well, I have four sisters – three younger, one older. I currently attend the Dallas branch of UT and share an apartment with my older sister, Jane. Mary is my only other sister in college, but she is attending the Austin branch of UT. Kitty and Lydia are still in high school." She said, noticing Darcy let his fork slip slightly at her right side. Darcy couldn't believe his ears when she said Dallas, wondering how in the world he hadn't come across her sometime; then, he remembered the size of Dallas. It was perfectly normal that he hadn't seen her yet. Richard had to hide his laughter behind a coughing fit that, once again, started Catherine on a ramble about health before she turned back to Elizabeth.

"Five daughters? How old are you, Eliza? And your parents? Did you have a nanny growing up? What do you study?" Catherine asked, eyebrows knitting together as her servant dutifully cleared away the empty salad plates. She couldn't imagine taking care of more than one child, let alone five!

"Yes, five. I'm sure that's none of your business, too, Mrs. De Bourgh; my age and my parents don't matter to you. I didn't have a nanny growing up." Elizabeth said, somewhat bitterly, remembering her aunt Phillips. Mark had been a great role model for her growing up. She was surprised when Darcy gave her knee a squeeze under the table, causing her face to heat up.

"I-I'm majoring in psychology and—"

"What an unstable subject! Shouldn't you not worry your parents and study a better subject, like Charlotte has? And Bill is? Studying the law is much more profitable, not to mention—"

"Mrs. De Bourgh, I won't listen to you whining about my career choice or 'directions to find an amiable mate'. I'm too young to marry, and I'll study whatever the hell I want to." Elizabeth interrupted this time, giving her host a frosty look as the servant came back out, putting plates of baked chicken and sautéed vegetables in front of each person. Richard flashed her an award-winning grin, which his aunt thankfully missed, while Darcy gave her the faintest of nudges with his elbow, smirking when she glanced at him; Charlotte and Bill were not as thrilled with Elizabeth as the pair of Fitzwilliams.

"Eliza, this is why I couldn't date the likes of you, no matter—"

"Willy, I remember, quite clearly, you throwing yourself, literally, at Ellie." Darcy interrupted, looking quite smug, causing Bill to flush horribly. Elizabeth was glad someone corrected Bill, but she had wanted to do it. She could fight her own battles with out a bi-polar Darcy's help. Bill started muttering things crossly, the closest to him being able to detect, "Not throwing… _presenting_…" and other thins running along those lines. Charlotte frowned slightly, being able to hear him since she was to his left (to his right sat Lady Catherine himself at the head of the table, Anne at the other), wondering what exactly he'd done to her friend. She'd known Bill fostered his crush, obsession, whatever on Elizabeth, but Charlotte had never thought of him being bold enough to act upon them too much, especially with a man like Darcy acting as Elizabeth's shadow. Charlotte also wondered when Darcy had transitioned from calling Elizabeth "Miss Elizabeth" to "Ellie"; she was already planning a well-deserved grilling when Catherine started bombarding Maria questions as she tried to eat in a delicate, dainty manner.

The rest of their late lunch/early dinner went smoothly, as Catherine decided to ignore Elizabeth and only questioned compliant people, and Elizabeth was glad to leave the admittedly elegant, if not a bit gaudy, refines of Catherine's penthouse. This time, the elevator down was a bit pressed since, instead of four occupants, it had seven; it wasn't a big elevator since it only led to a penthouse, one of many, that Catherine barely used.

"So, are any of you wanting to take a dip in the pool? Since Fitz and I are her nephews, we have keys and won't be kicked out when they usually close it down at ten-ish." Richard asked, beaming even though he had Bill pressed to his side because Darcy had wedged himself next to Elizabeth to keep Bill away from her.

"Ritz, we just ate, and I'm sure Ellie and Maria are tired and need to unpack." Darcy said, slightly vexed, because he was getting a bit claustrophobic. Richard just shrugged, waiting for someone else to answer.

"I'm all for it – later, though. I have my PS2 here, if anyone wants to play." Georgiana said from her spot nestled against her cousin's free side. Although she was tall, she was about as skinny as a pixie stick and was the only one not bothered by the slightly cramped elevator.

"PS2? As in Play Station 2? Those platforms have long since passed their age of fun, and it's no good to waste your time on such digital frivolities. In fact, I—"

"Willy, if you've never played a video game in your life, you're either very sheltered, very stupid, or just extraordinarily stupid." Charlotte interrupted Bill, more than slightly peeved with him. Richard attempted to give her a high-five over Bill and her sister; Charlotte, not being quite as tall as he or her sister, tried but failed to recuperate the action. Bill, once more, flushed an angry red.

"I'll take you up on your offer, Georgiana." Elizabeth said, peeking under Darcy's arm to grin at the younger girl; she beamed back, shoulders jumping up and down slightly with mirth.

"Please, call me Georgie, Lizzie. Anyone else?" Georgiana asked, looking up at both her brother and cousin expectantly. Richard hardly passed up a time to look better than Darcy, and Darcy never backed down from a challenge. Seeing them play each other was always hilarious.

"I will if Fitz will go against me." Richard said, sending Darcy a wicked look.

"You're dead." Darcy said, narrowing his gray eyes, not wanting Richard and Georgiana to bawk at him all night. The last time he'd even instigated he didn't want to play around them, even after he decided to play, they – and Charlie – bawked at him, flapped their arms in mock chicken wings, and even had the gall to ask him if he wanted eggs in the morning. It got even worse when all three beat him in just about every game. The elevator opened on the lobby with Richard's loud, hysterical hoots. Bill couldn't get out and away fast enough.

"Fitz, the last time you beat me at any video game was when I _let_ you!"

"Like hell you did!"

"Sorry, Fizz, I'm with Rizz."

"Even your own sister, Darcy!" Elizabeth laughed, elbowing his side lightly; she wasn't terribly surprised for him to feel like a brick wall covered with Styrofoam. She could still clearly remember him picking her up the night they went to Bob's Bar. Darcy just pouted slightly, ushering Elizabeth forward so they and the rest of their party could leave the elevator before the doors closed on them; Georgiana, who wasn't aware of his fondness of Elizabeth, was taken aback.

"I'll explain everything to you if you let me change in your room." Richard whispered, seeing Georgiana's obvious shock, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"What, you know? No fair! You're changing in the bathroom, though; even if you're my cuz, I don't trust you." Georgiana whispered back, holding back laughter when Richard pretended to be hit in the heart, clutching at his chest over zealously. Richard and Georgiana fell silent when Darcy sent them a curious glance, both wearing nearly identical looks of feigned innocence; he just shook his head at them, sighing. Since Bill had hurried away, he wasn't part of their group anymore and the second elevator ride, this time up to their rooms, was spent talking about what video games Georgiana had and how many controllers she had. When the elevator arrived on the second floor not a minute later, everyone but Darcy was arguing over which Guitar Hero they'd play and claiming characters since Georgiana confessed to unlocking all of them on every version she owned. Darcy was surprised when Richard abandoned their room after he found more casual clothes to wear for Georgiana's room but shrugged it off mentally; Richard got to see even less of Georgiana since he was still living in England.

"Richard, you need to spill, now! Or else I'll explode!" Georgiana insisted after shoving her cousin into the bathroom impatiently; he chuckled in response.

"I'll start at what he says is the beginning, then. They met down in Austin because Charlotte was throwing a party after she passed the bar exam, and Charlie got invited by Lizzie's pop when Charlie made sure he was on the right road or something. Apparently, your brother made an arse of himself and said something incorrigible for him – some sort of insult or something. Fitz says he doesn't remember." Richard started, voice slightly muffled because he was changing shirts. Georgiana listened with rapt attention, giggling slightly; of course her brother made an arse of himself. He rarely didn't in a room full of strangers.

"Anyways, he's fancied her ever since; I think he's falling fast and hard. Our dearest Wickie has duped her – Fitz said he got her before the second half of Wickie dearest's plan went through. Don't know how. He didn't say anything about you, though; Fitz said he got her brother-figure to promise not to let her near Wickie or his band anymore. Fitz actually sounded embarrassed over the phone when he talked about his rotten behavior towards her, too. Can you imagine that?" Richard laughed, remembering the conversation vividly. It would forever be imprinted on his brain.

"He better start acting right, then; I never got the vibe she liked him more than a friend, at best. Lizzie never looked at him unless he talked, you know… I think she just glared at him a bit, really. Oh no… he could've. I mean, he wouldn't have to mention my name. A-and if he did, I-I wouldn't m-mind much at-at all… at l-least he said something t-to someone important t-to her…" Georgiana said, frowning. She didn't like stuttering, but it came to her like a second nature when George Wickham's name was mentioned. He had treated her so well… and then, after a week or so, he went sour and started becoming abusive. With the pressure from him along with Darcy's, Georgiana had become a wreck, stuttering horribly and nonstop; she'd just recently dropped her stutter and was darn proud of herself for being able to do it.

"I'm sorry, Gee, I shouldn't have mentioned that." Richard sighed, looking remorseful when he exited the bathroom, slightly ruffled. Georgiana accepted his hug when he offered, taking strength from his arms and love.

"L-let's get them together, Rizz. If Fizz was actually conscious of how he's an arse most of the time, she's worth it. Definitely worth it." She said, pressing her face into his chest; Richard nodded, kissing the crown of her head softly.

"Let's get the PS2 up and running, Gee. Those nutters will be knocking on the door in no time. I say we demolish Fitz as soon as he starts playing." He said cheerfully, tweaking Georgiana's nose before going over to the TV in her room to find an outlet near it. With slightly trembling hands, Georgiana unpacked her PS2 from the safe confines of a padded backpack along with all four of her Guitar Hero games; Richard took over from then, plugging in the game system to the wall and then the TV. Darcy entered the room then from the adjoined door wearing a pair of navy sweats, a white undershirt with a few claw holes decorating it, and a gray beanie covering his untamable curls.

"Why do you always cover your hair, big bro, when it curls?" Georgiana asked, pulling the desk chair from the complimentary desk over to the TV just in case, smiling teasingly at him. Darcy didn't answer her, choosing instead to help their cousin unroll the cords form around the fret boards of Georgiana's two guitars.

"Fine, be an arse and don't answer me. See if I care." Georgiana huffed, leaving her room and going over to the door to the room Elizabeth and Maria shared; she knocked softly, wondering what was taking them so long. Almost at once, it opened to reveal Charlotte, clad in skinny jeans and a maroon baby doll tee.

"My sister is absolutely terrified of Darcy, sorry. We've tried to convince her he's just a ba—not someone to be scared of, but…" Charlotte said, shrugging. Georgiana giggled, shaking her head slightly.

"Don't force her to come if she is, then – playing against Rizz… well, it's scary sometimes. Anyways, I know Fizz is a bastard sometimes, it's okay." Even though Georgiana used to think her brother could do nothing wrong, she knew his misanthrope-like ways offended many people and sometimes the offense was called for, as he was sometimes too arrogant.

"Come on, Lizzie, let Maria be." Charlotte called into the room, accepting defeat, before turning back to Georgiana with a lucid smile. Elizabeth soon appeared, looking vexed, and Georgiana led the two older girls back to her room. Richard and Darcy were already fighting over who got to be the Grim Ripper.

"I thought you liked Pandora, Rizz! You guys need to stop fighting so early…" Georgiana sighed, glad Richard was reclining on the foot of the bed from the floor with a good two feet or so between him and Darcy who was in the desk chair.

"Well, yeah, she's a doll – but I need to be Grim because it'd be sweet to murder him while playing Grim!" Richard complained loudly, sour that Darcy had gotten to Grim first.

"Hey, think of the irony if you win with Pandora: you'll be putting Grim right back where he came from." Elizabeth said, smiling down at Richard. He gave her a high-five, pout turning into a wicked grin.

"Why does everyone think I'll lose?" Darcy asked sullenly, glad he got to play the Grim Ripper.

"Because you _will_ lose." Georgiana and Richard said simultaneously, making Darcy scowl and Charlotte and Elizabeth laugh. One Wrathchild later, Darcy had to surrender his guitar to Georgiana as Richard had whipped him good, playing the expert level.

"Okay, rules. Two songs in a row and that's it, okay? If you lose, too bad, sucks for you. Unless your opponent won twice – like, for example, if Rizz beats me, he'll leave instead of me. It's so we don't dominate the play." Georgiana said, wearing a smirk that reminded Elizabeth of Darcy's, before they started to play. Unlike her brother, Georgiana chose the expert level and showed she had much more of a talent at video games than he since she, when she wasn't studying or practicing, took to playing them. Georgiana had been introduced to video games at a young age, thanks to Richard, and she'd swiftly become a bigger and sometimes better gamer than him.

"I should've never introduced games to you, Georgie." Richard moaned after he'd been soundly beat, handing his guitar over to Charlotte. Georgiana stuck her tongue out playfully at him before crushing Charlotte, who played at the medium level, easily; since she'd won twice, Elizabeth replaced her instead of Charlotte. Once again, Charlotte lost, meaning Darcy got to replace her; the atmosphere immediately changed.

"You're going down, old man." Elizabeth said, narrowing her eyes at Darcy as he chose a song.

"I believe you're thinking of yourself, Ellie." He replied smoothly, picking a song that surprised Richard: Round and Round by Ratt. He knew Darcy usually preferred the heavier rock, but as he listened to the lyrics, he couldn't help but laugh mentally.

They played Rock the 80's for a while before switching over to the first version, then Guitar Hero 2, and finally Guitar Hero 3. Richard noticed every time Darcy played against Elizabeth, he chose some sort of love song or another (like More Than a Feeling, Cherry Pie, etc); he wondered if Elizabeth noticed because she didn't show that she did. Georgiana noticed, sending Richard looks with raised eyebrows; Charlotte also seemed to be aware of Darcy's song choices, chewing her lower lip to keep form giggling each time he did.

"Okay, is it late enough to swim now?" Richard asked when only he and Darcy were left wanting to play Guitar Hero at 5:30; Darcy only wanted to play to prove he could beat Richard eventually.

"Chicken." He said lowly, twiddling with the whammy board.

"Hey, I can whoop your arse all night long if you want, but my wrists are killing me. Plus, I really want to swim. So – I'm going now." Richard sighed, standing up from the floor and stretching his legs. Georgiana turned her PS2 off quickly, nodding exuberantly.

"I'm all up for a swim. What about you two?" She asked, looking at Elizabeth and Charlotte. Only after Elizabeth said she'd go did Darcy concede, going with Richard to their room.

"Lizzie, I hope you realized what was happening." Georgiana said softly, glancing obviously at the door the men had just went through.

"… Um…" Elizabeth shook her head, oblivious; she'd never really noticed the trend of songs Darcy chose. However, she did know that Darcy agreed to swim after her, making her think he was going just to annoy her and be an ass. Charlotte and Georgiana shared a look of disbelief before they erupted into a giggling fit.

"You two know something I don't…" Elizabeth said slowly, glaring at the pair. Charlotte nodded with a wide grin.

"Fizz was trying to serenade you or something." Georgiana said, looking the happiest that they'd seen her yet. Elizabeth started laughing then, thinking she was joking.

"Nice joke, Georgie."

"I wasn't joking, Lizzie! Didn't you notice every song Fizz chose was a love song when he faced you…?"

Elizabeth stopped in her laughter, falling into a contemplative silence. It hit her then that, indeed, he'd chosen only love songs.

"No offense, but your brother hates me, Georgie. I bet it was a sick, twisted joke to him or something…" She said, ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of her mind that said Georgiana and Charlotte were right. Instead of listening to them, Elizabeth chose to leave the room then, saying, "I'm gonna go change. You two keep your whacked out opinions to yourselves."

"Fizz fancies her."

"Lizzie adores him."

Georgiana and Charlotte burst into laughter again, only to be told to keep it down by a vexed Richard through the door adjoining their rooms.

**A/N**: _(1) Because other than Darcy, Charlie, and Wickham (and even that changes), no one is proclaimed as handsome… and I really did, despite Jane Austen's words, picture the Colonel as someone who resembled Darcy quite a bit._

_(2) Brits say schedule like "shed-ule" instead of "sked-djule" like in the states._

_Sorry if my Guitar Hero bit was wrong – I haven't played against anyone in a long time and don't remember if you both can play the same character or not. And sorry for the long wait. X3 The fluff will come next chappie in truckloads, promise._

_~ Tobi_


	9. Keeping my King

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Remember, kiddies, to _always_ spay and neuter your lawyers.  
><strong>Dedication<strong>: All y'all reviewers – you make me incandescently happy.  
><strong>Songs<strong>: All To Myself by Marianas Trench (for Darcy).  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
><span>Notjustanothervoice<span>: Awesome. :D Well, not going crazy… but, yeah. I'm glad you love this. Thanks for reviewing even though was being bad.  
>Amandald98<span>: Cool. I didn't know Guitar Hero had drums! Go play, now, the awesomeness calls. Yes and yes, lol. Really? That's not okay, that's pretty epic. XD  
><span>Lynniern<span>: Not for long… Thanks. :) Lol, I'm happy you do because it's really fun for me to write.  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Aww, thanks. :3 I'm glad that scene came out right, lol.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: British accents rule. Awesomeness, I thought I might be the only one. X3  
><span>Badass-Angel-Sefaria<span>: Thank you. :D Lol, I couldn't be an author, there's too many problems with my writing.  
><span>Annette Silhouette<span>: Woot, another new reader! Hello there. :) Thank you, lol.  
><span>CrossroadsofLife<span>: Darcy and Lizzie would disagree with you, lol. Thanks. C:  
><span>Mary<span>: I feel the same about them; people also discredit Mrs. Bennet for not loving Lizzie when she really does. Really? I've never viewed Charlie as stupid, just a tad gullible and insecure. Thanks. C: Lol. Your question will be answered this chapter. No, Charlotte isn't married to Collins, and I am going to get her together with someone other than him since I totally agree with you on your point 27/8 and unmarried in this day and age is a-okay. Dang it, you guessed my surprise. XP For the Emma bit, I just considered it – the story idea I gave was another P&P. Thanks, again, lol – someone not liking another enough in modern times is just BS, so, yeah, had to change it. Thanks, again, for all your reviews. :)  
><span>Nuigarien<span>: It would… but I have my reasons. ;) I don't remember if Darcy did in the actual book or not, so you'll have to settle with him telling Mark. Thanks for the review.

**- Keeping my King -**

"So, we're gonna take a dip in the pool, you want to join us?" Elizabeth asked Maria once she was back into their room, spotting the younger girl flopped haphazardly across her bed with the TV remote dangling from her fingers. Maria looked up from the TV screen, frowning slightly.

"Will Darcy be there? And Richard?" She asked, cheeks burning red. Even though she preferred the latter, she had seen the former shirtless; Maria knew she wouldn't be able to stand how many hours they'd swim with her older sister making comments about them being exceptionally good-looking. Heck, she was pretty sure she'd faint if she saw both of them shirtless, together, and dripping wet. Elizabeth looked at the younger girl for a minute before turning to her suitcase, rooting through it for her swimsuit. She was almost positive what had happened when Maria had given the boys their jackets back now since Maria wasn't being cooperative at all.

"Yeah, they will be." Elizabeth hummed softly, knowing the answer already. Maria was impeccably shy when it came to the other sex since she'd lived with Charlotte, who was probably born saying the doctor was nice eye candy, her whole life.

"I'll pass." Came the expected answer.

"You'll have a hellish time, y'know, if you don't woman up soon and face them. I have a feeling Ritz won't let us have a lazy day, snow and cold be damned." Elizabeth told her when she found her swimsuit, standing back up and giving Maria a hard look. Maria just flushed darker and shrugged, turning her attention back to the TV until her roommate came out of the bathroom dressed in a bottle green one piece with an open back, one of the complimentary Rosings towels wrapped around her waist.

"Have fun." Maria said with a weak smile, waving to Elizabeth. Elizabeth returned the wave as she left, surprised to see Richard and Darcy waiting in the hall. Both men had on a pair of swimming trunks, Darcy's being navy and Richard's being black, and a white undershirt on; Richard had a towel wrapped around his neck while Darcy had one thrown over his shoulder. Elizabeth was slightly surprised that Richard, who struck her as someone who never wanted to grow (or look) old, wasn't wearing board shorts.

"Fitz won't leave with out Georgie, so I decided to keep him company." Richard explained, rolling his eyes.

"Like you weren't going to wait anyways." Darcy countered, crossing his arms over his chest; Richard just shrugged, wearing a sheepish half-grin. Elizabeth smiled slightly, deciding to join them on their wait since it had been her best friend keeping Georgiana from changing.

"Hey, Ritz, no board shorts?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her; Richard smirked down at her, shaking his head.

"Can't stand the waistbands of those things. I grew up before the fad, tried it, and Fitz got a good laugh out of it when I did. He tried it, too, but had the same results; I had a great laugh at him then. It was really hilarious, because the—"

"Richard. Shut up." Darcy interrupted him, face bright red. Richard cackled but refrained from finishing the story, making Elizabeth pout.

"Hey, can you tell me later when Mr. Stick-up-his-arse isn't around?" She asked, poking Richard in the ribs.

"Sorry, lass, my mouth diarrhea got the best of me. It's best if you don't pursue the subject… _ever_, if you want to live. Either Fitz would kill you, or you'd die laughing. Charlie actually wet himself when this was happening… he wears board shorts, so it was even funnier to him." He replied, somewhat ruefully, lulling them into a silence until Charlotte and Georgiana came out of their respective rooms, Bill tagging along with the former. Unlike the other two men, he wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off his muffin top and sickly pale, smooth torso over his brightly designed board shorts.

"My frat brothers introduced the wonders of board shorts. Have you two tried them? They give you so much more freedom, and—"

"We're more comfortable with trunks, thanks." Richard interrupted him, starting down the hall towards the elevators. Had anyone else brought up board shorts, he would've laughed, but even he couldn't warm up to Bill. Richard was slightly worried about how a guy like Bill could get a girl like Charlotte; he could only come up with insanity, weird fetishes, or gold-digger. He was hoping it wasn't any of those since he rather liked her company.

"But trunks are indecent! It is far too easy to flash innocent women and children when you wear them." Bill said, eyeing the cousins reproachfully; he was sure they were good men because they were related to Lady Catherine.

"We have biker shorts underneath, for your information." Darcy replied shortly, suddenly impatient to get to the pool. Even though Darcy's words consoled Bill, it didn't stop him from stating the differences between board shorts and swim trunks and inserting his own opinion about them into the jumble.

"So, Darcy, how come your hair is curly?" Elizabeth said loudly, stopping Bill's rant, after they got into an elevator. Richard immediately pat her head, Georgiana gave her a one-armed hug, and Charlotte let out a quiet sigh of relief; Bill, however, looked affronted to be interrupted.

"The heat uncurls and flattens it." Darcy replied, wishing Elizabeth had chosen someone else to divert the attention onto from Bill since the elevator seemed to be growing smaller as every second ticked by with everyone looking at him. Elizabeth just nodded, turning back to the elevator doors, but Bill, sadly, was able to start talking about how the heat affected people's hair – not like he'd know, though. No one could get out of the elevator fast enough when it stopped on the first floor, Richard leading the way to the pool by singing, "We're Off To See The Wizard," arm-in-arm with a stony silent Darcy, skipping and trying to get him to do the same. Although many people stared at them, the group of six arrived at the pool in no time, and there weren't many people already taking a dip or lounging in the hot tub since it was too close to dinner time. Only a small family of three was already present, the mother playing with her son in the shallow end of the pool while the father reclined in the hot tub.

The pool was luxuriously large, starting at three feet deep and descending gradually to five and a half feet deep where a waterfall descended from the hot tub's side. The hot tub sat on the very edge of the pool and rose up instead of going down, having a small set of stairs on the vacant side so kids could climb into the toasty three feet of water. Not too far away from the main pool was a large square pool for babies and toddlers starting at a foot deep and dipping down to one and a half feet deep in the middle. All around there were lounge chairs and tiny tables set up, and in the corner closest to the kiddie pool was a large tub filled with pool toys and floating devices. Only Elizabeth looked shocked at the sheer size of the room and pools as she was the only one who hadn't been there before.

"You're catching flies, love." Darcy said quietly, taking Elizabeth's lowered jaw in his fingers and closing it for her, smirking and tapping her once on the nose affectionately. He found her surprise utterly adorable and made him feel proud he owned a small portion of the Rosings hotels; he could easily get her into the lavish hotel chain on a regular basis if she wanted. Elizabeth blushed slightly, ignoring him and heading over to the chairs Charlotte, Georgiana, and Richard had already thrown their things on to. She was acutely aware of Darcy watching her unwrap the towel from her waist and felt unnerved by it, wondering what his problem could be with her. Elizabeth wasted no time to join the father of the family of three in the hot tub, slouching down into the warm depths on the step in it, sinking down up to her armpits.

"Party pooper! You're supposed to get in the hot tub last, right before you leave!" Charlotte called from the pool, pausing in her splash war with Georgiana and Richard; they got her good for not paying attention to them. Bill sent a nervous glance to Darcy, as he peeled off his wife-beater after dropping his towel onto a chair lazily, wondering if Darcy would get mad if he joined Elizabeth in the hot tub. He knew Richard would probably be Darcy's partner in crime this time, and, though he knew both men had to have good morals and such, Bill wasn't sure if he'd risk getting questioned by the nearly identical cousins since Charles Bingley was a stick and Richard wasn't. Taking a good look at both cousins, Bill chickened out and ended up getting a bed float and drifted around the pool innocently, trying not to look too long at Elizabeth or Georgiana. Darcy, meanwhile, was wearing a conniving half-smile as he watched Elizabeth from the lounge chair he was sitting on the edge of; he waited until the family of three left after about fifteen minutes or so before making his move.

"I think Fitz is about to…" Richard whispered, pressing his lips together to keep form laughing; Georgiana caught on, too, and starting grinning widely.

"I thought he only did that to me!" Georgiana whispered back, a giggle escaping her lips. Charlotte looked at them both, confused, before turning to Darcy to see what he was going to do. Darcy's smirk turned to a feral grin as he stepped up to the side of the hot tub where Elizabeth was sprawled over. He grabbed her by her armpits suddenly, hauling Elizabeth up and out of the hot tub before she knew what was happening and threw her unceremoniously into the pool where the water temperature was quite different than the hot tub's. Elizabeth's yell of astonishment was cut short when she landed in the much colder water, and she surfaced, sputtering since she'd swallowed some, to the maniacal laughter of Darcy, Richard, Georgiana, and Charlotte.

"Fitzwilliam Something Darcy, you asshole!" Elizabeth shrieked, attempting to keep her head above water while pointing dramatically at Darcy who was doubled over and slapping his knees.

"You never let yourself go in a hot tub with a pool near by if you're around Fitz, _never_." Richard crowed, wrapping his arm around Georgiana's shoulder.

"I've learned that the hard way, just like you." Georgiana said, smiling brightly. Elizabeth pouted, unaware that Darcy wasn't done. She was starting to swim to a place where she could stand when he cannonballed into the water not two feet away from her, sending waves to slap at her. Only Bill, other than Elizabeth, didn't see the humor in the situation. As soon as Darcy surfaced, Elizabeth swam over and started slapping and punching him while hopping form one foot to the other to give herself a bit of leverage, calling him all sorts of profanities.

"- You firetrucking low-life scum bag who sucks – _hey_, you have chest hair. No way, you totally strike me as the manscaping guy."

Darcy stared down at Elizabeth, wondering if she was serious or not about just noticing he didn't have a smooth chest; Richard, who had already been laughing at the odd scene they made, started clutching his sides. Charlotte and Georgiana dissolved into guffaws at the sudden realization of Elizabeth's.

"Lass, you are the most entertaining thing I've ever seen!" He hooted, not noticing how close his face was to the surface of the water, in danger of inhaling some on accident. Elizabeth turned in the water to face him, about to give her thanks, when she noticed his torso was adorned with hair, too.

"Okay, you _really_ strike me as the manscaping guy, Ritz, since it's the fad now." Elizabeth said, irritation giving way to curiosity.

"If women complain about stubble on my chin, they'll be even more vexing if I've stubble on my chest. Besides, I've no time for it." Darcy sighed from behind Elizabeth, nudging her forward until she could stand up in the pool.

"Stop poking me! Like any woman would want you, old fart." Elizabeth said, glancing over her shoulder at him and sticking her tongue out. She immediately regretted the action when he smirked and an almost predatory gleam entered Darcy's eyes, making her think back to Georgiana's words from earlier and the time in the stables with him and then Caroline. Elizabeth was not going to let him that close again.

"Yeah, I probably would if I was younger, around Charlie's age, say, but the lasses like me like I am. I actually don't have any time to spare to keep it up, either; Fitz there is just too lazy to and too proud to admit it. Although that stubble bit is good… Hey, Fitz, does Charlie still shave off his little bits of fluff?" Richard said, slightly winded, when he'd calmed down. Nearby, Bill was taking notes mentally, wondering if women would like him more if he didn't "manscape"; however, he knew Catherine de Bourgh didn't like men with chest hair. It was a hard choice for him to make.

"Yeah, he says he hasn't got enough to keep it, and it's also really pale blond, almost the same color as his skin. He's young, anyways, so no one will care currently. Why are we talking about this, exactly?" Darcy replied, eyebrows knitting together. Richard just shrugged before splashing Elizabeth, starting another splashing war that Darcy didn't partake in; instead, he hefted himself out of the pool and took over the hot tub. When Elizabeth noticed, she scowled, immediately jumping to the conclusion he'd thrown her out of it to have it all to himself; she was still trying to make sure Darcy was still the guy she'd known from the summer: a jerk with some nice moments. So far, he was being a sweet guy with some jerk moments, and it didn't settle well in Elizabeth's mind since she didn't want to fall for him any harder than thinking he was quite fetching, smelled good, and had a divine voice. Darcy also made her feel secure, and he had defended her from Bill and Caroline those times even if she didn't want him to. Jane furthermore said he had been the one to take care of her when she'd gone to the bathroom in Bob's bar and disappeared; plus he was always letting her steal his bed when Charlie had them over. Additionally, he had gotten her dirty clothes washed and loaned her clean clothes; moreover he had loaned her his heavy jacket. Now he was calling her "love" as well as "Ellie", which was different, and he also tapped her nose again… not to mention that almost-kiss…

Elizabeth stopped in the middle of her splash war, looking up at the mess of dark curly locks over the lip of the hot tub in something akin to wonder. So intent of finding fault in him, she'd never gathered up all the good he'd done in her mind before.

"Sex on legs, right?"

Elizabeth jumped, yelping, after Charlotte whispered in her ear; she hadn't expected it nor knew she'd been staring at the back of Darcy's head for so long. She immediately flushed, shoving Charlotte awkwardly, wanting to contradict her but unable to since Richard, Georgiana, Bill, and Darcy were all near by.

"What? Am I voicing your thoughts? I mean, he looks pretty rigid – I prefer Ritz over him, kind of, since he's only got eyes for you – but he's totally sexy. All muscle, all man, all sex on legs." Charlotte continued on, still using quiet tones, smirking as Elizabeth grew redder and redder as she spoke. Elizabeth shook her head furiously, chewing nervously on her lower lip.

"I was just thinking… of all the things he's done – the _good_ things." She murmured, glancing over at Richard and Georgiana suspiciously, as both were watching her and Charlotte, colloguing as well.

"You're just now noticing all of them? Wow, and I thought you were smarter than that, Lizzie-Bell. You were always berating him because of that first comment and because he's a bit up-tight – and, yeah, I know I was geared to dislike him, too, because of that first comment… but he's been around here for a while now, with Georgiana and Richard, too, and he's actually got a wicked sense of humor. Darcy is actually pretty considerate, too. I think Caroline was lying to you, y'know." Charlotte mumbled, winking at Georgiana. The younger girl beamed at her before turning to Richard with a smug look, elbowing him in the ribs playfully.

"… But… what she said matched with what Wick said, Char…" Elizabeth said, perhaps a bit too loudly, because Georgiana's cheerfulness dissipated immediately and Darcy turned around to face the pool, looking serious.

"Okay, it's been quiet for far too long with all of you down there. Is it time to go or break out the pool games? Like Marco Polo?" He said, looking directly at his sister at his last sentence. Georgiana brightened slightly, a melancholy smile lighting her features; Richard apparently got the secret message, too, since he nodded vigorously. Elizabeth noticed the change in the atmosphere and flinched, knowing it was her fault; she also noticed how, when Darcy mentioned Marco Polo, Georgiana looked better. There had to be a story behind it.

"Good idea, Fitz! Get your arse down here and let's start with you being it." Richard said, waving him over. Charlotte observed how Elizabeth, still slightly pink, turned her back to Darcy when he stood up in the hot tub and jumped over the side into the pool; she smirked slightly, wondering how much of his unconfirmed past would affect Elizabeth's opinion on him. People learned form their mistakes, and, even though Charlotte didn't have a reason to doubt Wick's story, she also didn't have a reason to doubt Darcy. Charlotte knew Elizabeth had to be confused about her feelings since her dating history was scant and Darcy was more experienced and older than anyone she'd ever considered before (exempting famous actors and such, the untouchable dreams), and with such misleading in addition to, as she'd heard Elizabeth say, bi-polar dispositions and accounts of his attitude, she wasn't surprised. Elizabeth just needed a push in the right direction, and this trip, Charlotte knew, would be just what she needed.

Bill joined in on their Marco Polo game, and the group of five played it until more guests at Rosings appeared, choosing to leave then. Charlotte, as promised to Georgiana, grilled Elizabeth about her feelings about Darcy when they retired from the pool, but she came up empty-handed as Elizabeth wouldn't give her anything more than, yes, she thought he was attractive. It was a good start, though, so Charlotte wasn't too concerned yet.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"Wake-y wake-y, eggs and… bake-y? Whatever. You yanks are weird. Get up, lassies!"

Maria and Elizabeth both made noises of discontentment at waking up to Richard's yelling and banging on the doors. Elizabeth was pretty sure Maria threw a pillow at the door after she'd yelled at him to shut up, but it didn't deter the Brit as he strolled into their room not a minute later.

"Good morning, star shines, the world says hello and get your arses up! _Now_!"

Five minutes later (accompanied by the presentation of two coffees and condiments), Richard had himself two semi-woken young women glaring at him over the rims of their coffee cups.

"Living with mini-Fitz, you'd become a morning person, too; only problem is, I'm naturally a night owl. So, no complaining, you two. We're taking all of you out today – first, to the Central Park Zoo because they're awesome and open 24/7, and then, after dinner somewhere, we're going to go ice-skating at the Rockefeller plaza rink. Now, dress warmly, as we're not coming back here, and head down to the main floor for breakfast." He said, beaming brightly, strolling out before either girl could voice her thoughts (or questions of how he'd gotten into their room with out the card key).

"… That wasn't weird at all." Maria said, causing Elizabeth to laugh softly.

"I wonder what he meant by mini-Fitz…" She said, looking over to Maria who just shrugged.

Half a cup of coffee and twenty minutes later, Maria and Elizabeth found Darcy in the hall waiting for them patiently, ready to lead them to where the Rosings breakfast bar was; the former ducked her head coyly, not looking anywhere near his face.

"Hey, Darcy, what would Ritz mean if he said mini-Fitz?" Elizabeth asked as he led the quietly to the elevator, eyeing his clothes and raising an eyebrow. Darcy had on a white turtleneck with a navy blue sweater over it and black, heavy-looking pants; in his arms was the jacket he'd leant Elizabeth the day before, a navy blue scarf, and his beanie.

"He would mean when I was younger, before my growth spurt. What did he say?" Darcy replied, running his hand through his hair with trepidation; with Richard, he could've said anything. He eyed Elizabeth and Maria with a critical eye, wondering if they'd stay warm enough in their long-sleeved shirts, blue jeans, and heavy jackets. Darcy was sure they hadn't experienced much cold down in Texas and wondered how they'd take it. He, himself, didn't fare well in the cold even though he'd grown up in England's wet, cold climate; Darcy had had to take a couple cold pills already from not wearing his jacket yesterday and knew his nose was red regardless if he was outside or inside.

"He said living with mini-Fitz, you'd become a morning person. Care to elaborate?" Elizabeth said as they stepped into the elevator, glancing back at Maria quickly. She was curious to see if she'd get over seeing Darcy like she had (from her behavior, she ascertained he'd probably been shirtless or very close to it) and act normal again.

"Ritz lived with me for a while when we were younger, since my house is better than his – he wanted to impress his girlfriends or something, and I used to bang on his door or use a blow horn on him when I woke up to get revenge. As I was going to primary at the time, I woke up earlier than usual to watch the telly." Darcy replied with a slight smirk and an evil glint in his eye, remembering the childhood he'd had before he became exceptionally reclusive and introverted. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, staying silent until he elevator binged, notifying them they were on the bottom floor. Though he said it with tenderness, she couldn't help but find his words about his house vain.

"What'd you watch?" Maria asked, surprising both her older companions. Darcy led them with out answering her right away, considering if he should tell the truth or not.

"… I watched the news." He finally said when he showed them the breakfast bar, causing both Elizabeth and Maria to laugh at him.

"Yup, always a serious one, this one. Mini-Fitz wanted to be an anchor man, you know; I think it was the early stages of wanting to see big boobs." Richard said, overhearing Darcy since he was near by, making Maria laugh harder but Elizabeth stop. Darcy immediately noticed the different reactions and wondered what Elizabeth had been told about him.

"Hardly. I thought the anchor man in the morning looked smart, and I thought he knew what was going on all the time." He said, hoping it would ease Elizabeth's mind from whatever was troubling her. Darcy wasn't positive, but he wouldn't be surprised if Wick had fed her lie after lie about him.

"Whatever, mate. You're boring and no one likes you. So, you lassies get your breakfast and we'll go, alright?" Richard said, rolling his eyes; he hadn't noticed the dissimilar responses from the girls. Maria blanched when she saw the empty, dirtied plates on the table where Richard was; Anne, Georgiana, Charlotte, and Bill were sitting with him as well.

"We're the last ones?" She squeaked, self-conscious already. Richard affirmed her speculations but told them to take their time as they were in no hurry. Darcy hovered behind Elizabeth and Maria when they went to see what breakfast options they had, explaining how things worked or what was what, carrying their drinks for them after they'd filled plates. Elizabeth was once more a bit surprised, though that was dwindling down to expectance, at his considerate behavior. With everyone else waiting on them (patiently), Maria and Elizabeth ate quickly, Darcy trying a few times to strike up a conversation with the latter; he was unsuccessful as she was trying to hurry and ended up ignoring him for the most part.

"Sorry, we just wanted to be quick." Elizabeth found herself saying quietly to Darcy when she was done, her face apologetic. A soft smile replaced Darcy's slightly quirked eyebrows and he nodded, contented by her answer; Darcy was starting to worry he'd done something wrong and upset her.

"Okay, lassies, Fitz, and Willy – who is going in which car?" Richard said, taking note of the hushed exchange between Darcy and Elizabeth. Something was up, he knew, and he wondered if he should meddle or not. Georgiana would, obviously, but would she be enough?

"I can take Ellie, Georgie, and Anne… I believe." Darcy offered, eyeing Anne's wheelchair up and doing mental calculations on if it would fit in his trunk or not.

"Why don't you just take Lizzie and Georgie – my rental can fit everyone else in easily." Richard said, his mind running along the same lines as his cousin's; he didn't want to make Anne uncomfortable should her wheelchair not fit in Darcy's trunk. She was already even more introverted than Darcy because of her accident, and he didn't want to accidentally offend her and make her delve deeper into her relatively new shell. It saddened both men greatly that their aunt blamed Anne for the accident and put her through mental abuse daily, but there wasn't much they could do about it since Catherine would fight tooth and nail to keep custody of her daughter. Anne was also soft-spoken, even before her accident, so she never went against what her mother said even though she was already considered a full adult.

"Right, then, come on, girls." Darcy sighed, giving Anne a light pat on the back as he rose from his seat, leading his sister and Elizabeth to where his car was parked.

"How old are you, Lizzie? Aunt Catty never wheedled it out of you yesterday. And where are you from? You've got a funny accent, nothing like the kids at Julliard I talk to!" Georgiana asked as soon as she and Elizabeth were safely buckled up in the backseat of Darcy's car. She had wanted to sit next to Elizabeth on the ride over to the zoo.

"Georgie, you only talk to maybe two kids – four tops." Darcy said before Elizabeth could answer, wearing a lopsided half-grin.

"Nu-uh, Fizz! I talk to Amanda, Betsy, Harry, and… um, Professor Hawthorne is only 24, does he count?" Georgiana countered loudly, sounding like a child who'd just been told she couldn't have a cookie, leaning forward in her seat obstinately.

"No." Darcy replied, grin growing wider.

"Bollocks. But that's three, so, HA!" Triumphantly, Georgiana turned back to Elizabeth, the likeness between her smile and Darcy's rare one, like the one he'd worn when he and Elizabeth had gotten pizza at Netherfield when Jane was sick, surprising Elizabeth.

"I can't be too much older than you, Georgie… you're 20 or so, right? I'm only 21. I'm from Austin, Texas – keeping it weird." Elizabeth said, laughingly, looking from one Darcy sibling to the other, just waiting for them to do something. They fell silent for a few seconds before Darcy broke it, chuckling deeply, and Georgiana just shook her head.

"I'll be turning 18 in February, Lizzie." She said, holding back her own giggles. Georgiana was quite used to people over-estimating her age and then being shell-shocked.

"No way! I thought you looked young, but… how?" Elizabeth asked, trying to ignore Darcy's intoxicating chuckles, failing miserably.

"I have an evil older brother. Fizz taught me before I went to primary – enough to skip two grades. He thinks I'm just smart, but I know it's because he was teaching me to make up for daddy ignoring me." Georgiana explained, shooting her brother a loving look.

"Evil, moi? _Never_. Also, Georgie, you are very smart. I can't take any credit for your natural brains, love, or your prodigal talent at the piano. Stop trying to fool everyone you meet."

Elizabeth's lips parted slightly, astounded, as she had half-expected Darcy to claim the credit, but also due to the absolutely adoring glance he gave to his younger sister before turning his gaze onto her own person, still penetrating even though Elizabeth saw it in the rear-view mirror. It didn't help the same tender gleam meant for Georgiana was still present in that deep gaze. She was silenced by the look for the rest of the ride, but the Darcy siblings bickered in good humor the rest of the way, filling the car with a homey feeling that Elizabeth couldn't escape. Somehow, she wished she'd grown up in a family like this instead of her own; although loving, her family had sharper edges and more hurtful barbs, intended or not.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie – you've been awfully quiet. Do we creep you out? Because we can ditch Fizz if he does." Georgiana addressed Elizabeth after Darcy had parked the car, being the first to remember the guest.

"Georgie, you said we… then me, singularly. I'm bloody sure it's you who is being too weird."

"Shut up, Fizz. Everyone knows you're the odd one, don't be daft."

"You're worse with Georgie than Ritz, Darcy." Elizabeth laughed, unbuckling and getting out of Darcy's car, avoiding answering Georgiana's question. Darcy snorted, following her lead, looking at her over the roof of his car as Georgiana had taken the seat behind him and Elizabeth the one on the right side.

"We used to be just as bad for a time, perhaps a bit worse, if you don't recall, Ellie."

Georgiana froze in exiting the car when Darcy spoke, eyes widening slightly; she looked up at her brother curiously through her low fringe, pushed down by her lime green beanie cap, wondering how much he hadn't shared with Richard or how much more specific he could've been. Even with the girlfriend he'd been most affectionate to, a beautiful Greek woman, Darcy had never gotten comfortable enough to banter with them. Noticing Georgiana's frozen form, Darcy mentally slapped himself, knowing she'd already clued in on how much he'd fallen already. It might not be love, but he was teetering on the edge, willing to fall with out a parachute if Elizabeth gave him the right signal.

"Yeah, well, that's when I vowed to hate your guts." Elizabeth said, frowning slightly; she didn't notice Darcy blanch. She did, however, notice the rather loud bang of Georgiana hitting her head on the roof of the car on accident. Georgiana ignored Darcy's immediate concerned questions, rounding the car swiftly and crossing her arms over her chest crossly, glaring down at Elizabeth who realized she'd said, quite possibly, the most offending thing she could've in the younger girl's presence.

"Charlotte said you fancy Fizz! And _no_ one can hate him – not after Marco Polo, not after Vince's death, not after sacrificing _everything_—"

"Georgiana. That's quite enough."

Neither female had noticed Darcy coming up behind his sister and placing a hand on her shoulder, face apathetic. Elizabeth had been too preoccupied with trying to rectify her mistake, and Georgiana was in full rant mode. After all he'd done for her, Georgiana wouldn't stand for anyone's abhorrence of her brother (not even Wick's); in her eyes, he should've been sainted long ago and that he could do no wrong.

"… I'm sorry, William." Georgiana said quietly, head dropping so she could stare at her shoes like a child who'd just been scolded (which wasn't too far form the truth).

"It's my fault, so I'm sorry – both of you. I used past tense, Georgie: that was, when, vowed. Darcy… he said something offending and then continued to be arrogant, but he apologized so we could make up. He's –" Elizabeth stopped, suddenly remembering the Jane and Charlie incident. Darcy had to be the crux or catalyst for it. The man in question, however, was relieved she'd cleared up the fact she didn't detest him anymore while he was also reeling at the thought of Georgiana almost revealing their past. As it was something Darcy wasn't proud of, he didn't like revealing and reliving the memories.

"Come on, loves, let's go find the others." He said pacifically, tapping each Georgiana and Elizabeth on their noses once before turning his back on both of them and starting towards the front gates of the Central Park Zoo. The girls faced each other for a bit, Elizabeth looking up and Georgiana gazing down, before the former held out her hand.

"I'd rather not fight with you, Georgiana, as you seem to be a wonderful girl. I'm sorry I offended you by stating my past feelings, but I'm not sorry for feeling them. Friends again?" She explained when Georgiana gave her a questioning look. In return, she got a look similar to what Darcy always gave Caroline: cool and blank; it seemed as if the Darcy siblings had another thing in common.

"No one should be able to hate Fizz. No one." Georgiana knew she was being naïve and narrow sighted, but her brother was her world. Someone who used to abhor him shouldn't catch his fancy.

"I never said I did hate Darcy, Georgiana. I said I vowed to hate him - which is different than actually holding him in disdain. Even though he was a total jackass about 95% of the time, the other 5% kept me from ever really falling any deeper than extremely disliking him at times. He's very confusing, you know… I thought he detested me, so I became pretty bent to do the same." Elizabeth explained, looking past Georgiana for a bit, looking at the pair of broad shoulders of Darcy's. He'd stopped a couple cars down, most likely out of earshot, patiently waiting for the two of them to sort out their differences. It was then Elizabeth noticed his shoulders, which she'd assumed were always taut and impeccable straight, were relaxed.

"… Fizz does have his arsehole moments, especially around Caroline Bingley or new people. He can't stand either." Georgiana relented slightly, already aware of how her brother usually acted in a crowd of new people or when Caroline was close by; she could forgive Elizabeth's slight since she assumed this was how they met from Elizabeth's words. It relieved her that Elizabeth had never really loathed Darcy, but Georgiana would be cautious in her meddling with that thought, just in case she made the verdict that Elizabeth was either not good enough for her brother or Elizabeth didn't actually like him. With that in mind, Georgiana took Elizabeth's hand and shook it before flouncing over to the waiting Darcy. Elizabeth watched as Darcy wrapped his arm around Georgiana's shoulders just from a light touch to his back, reflecting back to the way the latter had reacted, teeth bared and hackles raised, to her words and then to what Georgiana had almost said, trying to think of what it meant. Even though she and Jane were tight, it looked like, to Elizabeth, that Darcy and Georgiana had a much closer relationship because of what happened to them, whatever that was. Wick hadn't been very detailed on retelling the story, but no one else had even attempted to.

"Ellie, I hope you don't plan on freezing your arse by standing by my car. I don't think anyone would like an Ellie-ice lolly." (1)

Elizabeth snapped back to reality, finding her gaze settling on Darcy, who had a brilliant smile on his face and was half turned back to her, left arm around Georgiana and the other outstretched towards her, beckoning her to the warmth his side would provide. Exultantly, she joined the Darcy siblings, wearing a bright red blush when Darcy tucked her neatly into his side with a welcoming squeeze.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Richard, Bill, Charlotte, Maria, and Anne were waiting for the trio at the entrance of the zoo, bearing their tickets.

"What took you cozy people so long?" Richard said accusingly, eyes narrowed in playfulness.

"Traffic in here for a parking spot." Darcy lied smoothly before Elizabeth or Georgiana could even open their mouths; no one of their trio wanted to retell what had almost happened. Georgiana was still trying to wrap her mind around how someone could even want to loathe her brother while he was still reeling a bit that Elizabeth probably wasn't teasing or flirting with him way back when like he'd originally thought, and Elizabeth didn't want any more of Darcy's close family to rebuke her. Ignoring Charlotte's waggling eyebrows, she extracted herself from Darcy's warmth to take her ticket from Richard; while Elizabeth missed Darcy's slight pout, Richard and Charlotte didn't.

"Okay, you lot can go see whatever you'd like, and I'll take this lot. We can meet back up at lunch and switch zoo buddies, maybe. Any objections?" Richard said, taking charge, pointing to Darcy, Georgiana, Elizabeth, and Anne before gesturing to himself, Charlotte, Bill, and Maria. Charlotte was a bit put-out that she had to spend at least half of the zoo trip with Bill since she'd been so good at avoiding him since coming to New York, but she knew Richard wouldn't let Bill command the conversation or where they went.

"And where would that be, Rizz?" Georgiana asked, smirking slightly. Richard paused for a second before consulting the map of the zoo he'd gotten.

"The Leaping Frog Café, of course… at around, say, 1:30?" He replied swiftly, once he found the café that was neatly tucked away in a corner. As no one had any objections and cell phones were charged should something happen or change. Darcy took the back handles of Anne's wheelchair and started in after getting his, and Anne's, ticket from Richard and led the large group into the zoo.

"Okay, I don't bloody care what we see as long as we find somewhere warm to hide away in every now and then. You three decide between yourselves where we go." He said once Richard had marched off with Maria and Charlotte on his arms, Bill scrambling behind them, telling all those who would listen that they were seeing the sea lions.

"Penguins! I absolutely need to meet Skipper and crew!" Georgiana replied at once, giddily looking around for a directory or a sign to tell her which way to go.

"… I've never been here before, so…" Elizabeth mumbled, cheeks tinged pink, shrugging in an apathetic way.

"Red panda…" Anne supplied quietly, everyone in her party almost not hearing her.

"Why don't we get a map first…" Darcy sighed, leaving to find one, hoping Georgiana wouldn't give Elizabeth the cold shoulder or another tongue-lashing. It had never occurred to him how heavily his younger sister would defend him, causing him to be appreciative and concerned at the same time. He hoped, despite Elizabeth's past feelings, that they'd get along well together since Darcy didn't want his sister disliking his girlfriend (whenever the chance came up, he'd decided to ask her out). Darcy was happy to see, when he returned, map in hand, that Georgiana was filling Elizabeth in on the animals in the zoo with Anne making a few helpful comments.

"Alright, ladies, here's the map. Where to first?"

"The red panda, then the polar bears, and lastly, to Skipper and the gang!" Georgiana beamed, dancing zealously from one foot to the other. Shrugging, Darcy let his sister and Elizabeth have the map and lead the way to the little creature Anne wanted to see.

Roaming around with Darcy (and Georgiana and Anne), Elizabeth got to get a good look at him, gauging his disposition. It seemed to her he was being even more open and teasing than those few times shed been alone with him, causing her to be confused. If Charlie was his best friend, shouldn't he act like this with him, too? A niggling feeling in the back of her mind told Elizabeth she was missing something big in her puzzle of Darcy, but she couldn't really find the piece. She knew Georgiana said he didn't act well in Caroline's company or surrounded by people he didn't know, but, really, she hadn't been that bad to him and the crowd wasn't very large. Soon they were approaching the birds in black tuxes, and Elizabeth got to see something that made her smile for the rest of the day.

Georgiana had taken over in pushing Anne, saying Darcy was walking too slowly, and talked zealously with her older cousin. When they arrived t the fence holding the crowds back, a little boy ran up to Darcy, a wide grin plastered across his freckle stained face.

"Hey, mister, can you give me a lift? I can't see!" He said, exultant expression winning Darcy over.

"No problem, laddie." Darcy said, smiling softly and crouching down into the light layer of snow that had started to fall, the ice crystals crunching beneath his weight. The child's grin grew as he leapt into Darcy's awaiting arms, in awe at how easily he was lifted onto the broad pair of shoulders Darcy had.

"My name is Samuel, but you can call me Sam. What's your name?" The boy identified himself, small hands bracing themselves onto the back of Darcy's beanie-covered head, swinging his feet enthusiastically but being careful not to hit Darcy's chest; the penguins caught his attention, however, causing him to call out to them. Darcy laughed slightly, resting his hands right above Sam's knees on his lower thighs, just in case he lost his balance, waiting for him to stop being over the moon at the penguins to answer.

"Well, Sam, my name is rather funny. It's Fitzwilliam, but you can call me Darcy if you can't say 'Fitzwilliam'." He said, glancing around the small crowd accumulated by the penguins. Darcy didn't find a fair-haired adult that resembled Sam, but he did catch Elizabeth staring at him with a warm expression. He flashed her a bright smile before turning back to the penguins, not missing her flush and turn away quickly.

"Fiiiiiiitzzzwilliam. I can say it! My front tooth just came back in, so I can talk like a normal kid again. I miss being able to put a straw through the hole, though, when I drink my juice… it grossed all the girls out." Sam said gleefully, tongue immediately going to the new permanent tooth that had grown into his gums recently.

"Good job! I remember doing that; it was a blast. Girls have nasty cooties, right?" Darcy said, an impish grin on his face as all three young ladies in his group turned and gave him a glare. Sam caught them all glaring and nodded quickly.

"Yeah, icky cooties!" The boy stuck his tongue out at the girls, laughing when Elizabeth and Georgiana returned the favor.

"I'm Sam! Who're you gu—I mean, girls?" Sam said, excited at the prospect of having new friends, even if they were girls.

"My cousin, Anne, my sister, Georgiana, and my… friend, Elizabeth." Darcy said answered for the girls, fully expecting the two punches to the chest he got. Sam laughed joyously, knowing he'd picked the right man to ask for a lift since he was tall and looked strong; his thoughts had been confirmed.

"Eeeewww, your _giiiirlfriend_? My daddy's got a girlfriend, but she's all right. For a girl, that is." Sam said, sneering and reeling back from Darcy slightly, feeling the large, warm hands tighten slightly on his little legs.

"Okay, Sam, you're getting some cooties!" Georgiana said, playfully puckering her lips at him; Sam shrieked with laughter, pulling disgusted faces.

"Ewww, no! Anything but cooties!"

"I say we get Darcy here to put him down and tickle him." Elizabeth said, grinning mischievously at her fellow females before turning to the boys. Anne smiled softly, nodding while Georgiana pretended to crack her knuckles thoughtfully. Sam gulped, throwing his torso forward and hugging Darcy's head tightly to his skinny chest covered by many layers of clothing.

"Don't hand me over to them, Fitzzzwilliam!" He crowed, drawing his feet up slightly in a vain attempt to keep his extremities out of Georgiana and Elizabeth's reach.

"Put him down here, William!" Anne said, quiet voice carrying up to her older cousin's ears.

"Sorry, mate, but Lady Anne wishes it done." Darcy said, grinning up at the child on his shoulders; Sam screamed, dismayed.

"Sammie! Sam! Put my son down, you—"

"Daddy! Fitzzzwilliam was about to hand me over to Georgiana, Anne, and Elizabeth to be tickled!" Sam addressed the man that had the same pale complexion and hair as him, a large pout on his face. His father stopped in his run, a bit dumbfounded, before flushing darkly.

"I'm _so_ sorry if Sam has imposed on your visit, sir and ladies… my name is Harold, and I'm his father. Sam, did you even say thank you to this kind man for picking you up?" Harold said ruefully, rounding on his son. It was Sam's turn to blush.

"Thank you, Fitzzzzwilliam." Sam mumbled almost incoherently, ashamed he'd forgotten his good manners.

"You're welcome, Sam. Do you want down now?" Darcy said sympathetically, remembering himself as a child; while not as sociable, he did forget his manners sometimes, as well. Sam eyed his father's vexed face before nodding forlornly.

"See you later, then, Sam."

As soon as Sam was herded away by his chastising father, Anne, Georgiana, and Elizabeth burst into laughter.

"That… that was so darn _adorable_! I didn't know you were a softie for the little'uns!" Elizabeth choked out, not expecting Darcy to pull her to his side and give her a light-hearted noogie accompanied by a gruff, "Quiet, you."

Anne and Georgiana just laughed harder.

**A/N**: _(1) Ice lollies are what some Brits call popsicles; others call them ice pops. Ice lollies just sounded cooler to me…_

_So, um, yeah. Sorry for the late update. :\ I had three reasons for taking so long: 1. The US Open started (Go Roger! :D) 2. School started, and I've actually got homework this year. Spectacular… _not_. 3. The P&P story that I mentioned a few chapters ago (with Charlie and Jane as dogs) and a new idea decided that they wanted to be planned and written. Stupid plot bunnies won't leave me alone. BUTBUTBUT… some fluff and extra long chapter? Yeah. I was originally going to have this day of fluff as one chapter, but it evolved and grew to two-ish chapters. XP So, yeah… nothing more to say other than R&R, por favor, for random little boys in zoos and equally as random body hair chats in pools?_

_~ Tobi_


	10. And Loosing Him, Too

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Call my lawyer at 19856552500 because he'll never tell you a lie or run around and hurt you.  
><strong>Songs<strong>: King of Anything by Sara Bareilles (for Lizzie).  
><strong>Reviewers (who are freaking epic)<strong>:  
>Amandald98<span>: Lol, I'm the same way. XD Really? I hear it all the time, but watching a hoard of Smosh videos recently has gotten it in my head. It does sound sophisticated… but, really, for all they've done, they deserve a better name than 'ass'.  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: :) Thank you. Lol, I was worried about that scene, so I'm glad you found it hilarious. I'll be updating as quick as I can between homework and tennis, no worries.  
><span>SilverStella<span>: :D Thanks for the review.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Lol, I hope you didn't get some on your keyboard. Oh, yes, they were…  
><span>Merrilymary<span>: That's good, lol. You know Collins _would_ do that. Thank you! :)  
><span>CrossroadsofLife<span>: Thank you. C:  
><span>Fspsarcastic<span>: Hello. :3 Thank you – I update as soon as I can, I assure you.  
><span>.snow0<span>: Thank you. :D

**- And Loosing Him, Too -**

"Are you all right?" Elizabeth asked, eyeing Darcy's face critically as he was tying the laces of the skates he rented out. Over the course of the day, he'd steadily grown paler in all areas but his nose and cheeks, which had gone considerably red; while she wasn't the only one to notice his deteriorating looks, Elizabeth was the only one to voice her concerns for Darcy. All of his family knew he'd just ignore them or refuse to admit he wasn't feeling well while Charlotte and Bill thought this was normal and fine since no one bothered him. Maria was still too intimidated by him to speak to him directly, providing a good, humorous situation when lunch and dinner had passed.

"Perfectly chipper, thanks." Darcy rasped, perfectly aware of how his joints ached and his nose ran slightly; however, he was still trying to ignore those facts since he wanted to be able to spend the whole day with Elizabeth. As he'd made it to the last event of the day, ice-skating, he was adamant against going to the hotel alone and causing everyone to have to cram (illegally) into Richard's rental. Elizabeth frowned, looking down at the skates in her hand, wondering what she should do; everyone else but Richard and Anne were already skating, the latter two taking a stroll around the plaza. As she didn't know how to skate, Elizabeth knew she wouldn't mind going somewhere with Darcy to warm him up.

"Look, Fitz, you don't—"

"Wait, what?" Darcy interrupted her, gazing up from his skates imploringly; he was pretty sure Elizabeth had desisted in calling him "Darcy" and had instead addressed him as "Fitz."

"Fitz. I'm going to call you that now, so like it or lump it. As I was saying, you don't look very well, regardless of what you're saying." Elizabeth replied with a hint of a smile, relishing the fact she'd caught him off guard.

"Do you know how to skate?" Darcy asked after a minute of debating, mentally, of what her distress for him could mean. To him, the prospects that he was winning her over looked swell. Elizabeth paused, mouth partly open, before flushing slightly.

"Don't try to change the subject, F—"

"Come here and sit; put your skates on. I'm going to teach you how to skate."

It was Elizabeth's turn to say, "Wait, what?" Seeing her pause, Darcy took advantage of the situation and pulled her down onto the bench he was sitting on next to him, taking the skates from her grasp. Elizabeth just watched, a bit confounded, as Darcy lifted her feet from the ground to his lap and pulled the right skate snugly onto her foot, making sure it fit well, before tying the laces tightly and placing it back down on the ground; he proceeded to do the same to the other before Elizabeth noticed he'd changed the subject completely from his well-being.

"Okay, I admit not knowing how to skate, but you look really sick, Fitz." She said, forgetting momentarily that she wasn't clad in just her socks anymore, and standing up to try to get a height advantage over him for once. Elizabeth wobbled almost instantaneously, causing Darcy to take her waist in his grasp and pull her back down onto the bench.

"And we're only going to be here for an hour or so which won't matter in the long run. Allow me to teach you how to skate, Ellie." Darcy fibbed smoothly, wondering how many hours the extra hour out would cost him; he knew he already had at least a day in bed. He'd made sure to dress warmly, but, nonetheless, he'd gotten ill… as per usual. Elizabeth narrowed her hazel eyes, taking in his whole appearance and words meticulously; although Darcy looked like crap, he had a sincere tone and expression that made her acquiesce. Darcy smiled when he saw Elizabeth nod slowly, rising to his feet and holding out his gloved hands; she took them, letting his firm grip keep her stable.

"Give it a minute, you should find your balance… unless you lack it totally." He joked quietly, not wanting to talk too loudly in case Elizabeth heard the quaver in his voice lest she decide to change her mind and push to get him back to the hotel. Elizabeth just stuck her tongue out of him, choosing to concentrate on getting her balance instead of dignifying his words with a tart reply; Darcy just smirked, patiently waiting, content with being her person to lean on.

"Okay, I think I've got it… you can let go now, so if I fall, you won't go down with me." Elizabeth said after a minute, still a bit unsure but very aware of the jealous looks or knowing smiles they were getting. Darcy opened his mouth to speak but got cut off by a series of coughs he directed into his right shoulder, groaning softly when the fit passed. He'd had quite a few bouts of coughing and sneezing already, but he didn't want Elizabeth to be so acutely aware of them like she was now.

"Fitz, really, stop—"

"I'm _fine_, Ellie. Please don't make me ruin everyone else's night since Ritz can't take all of you home legally. Please."

With the accompaniment of a weak sniffle, Darcy's pleading, glassy eyes won Elizabeth over; she wasn't exceptionally happy about it, though.

"You'll tell me if you feel worse, right? Promise?" Elizabeth said, looking up at Darcy with wide, beseeching eyes - her own puppy dog look. His initial thoughts ran along the lines of telling her when they were going home to tell Elizabeth if he felt worse; but with his conscious already whining about his earlier exaggeration of the truth, Darcy found himself nodding slowly, leaning his head down to hers. Elizabeth froze instantly when his forehead, teased by his bangs curling over the low edge of his beanie, pressed against her own bare forehead, save for her fringe; it reminded her, violently, of the almost-kiss back in her parents' stables nearly a half a year previous and the words that followed. However, those thoughts were expelled from her mind when Elizabeth realized how warm his forehead felt.

"I promise." Darcy mumbled, feeling slightly hurt and perplexed when she stiffened. Elizabeth had been flirting with him and was worried about his well-being… didn't that mean something? He nearly hissed aloud when he remembered the word 'friend' and how easily she could stuff him into that category.

"Now, come on, we're wasting time." Darcy pulled back from her, taking two steps before tugging on her left hand, letting her right sip from his grasp. Frowning slightly, concern for him rising, Elizabeth took a few wobbly baby steps to catch up to him, glad Darcy hadn't released her fully like she'd requested.

"That's it, Ellie. I've got you if you fall."

Slowly but surely, Darcy delivered Elizabeth to the ice, both of them nearly slipping when they first got onto it. She had to laugh at her teacher's moment of clumsiness, wondering if he actually knew how to skate or not.

"Stop laughing, nutter. I never said I skated well; I just said I'd teach you how to." Darcy gnarred teasingly, holding Elizabeth's hands tightly in his own as he'd taken back her right when she'd started to join him on the ice.

"Okay, whatever, old man. How many people have you taught to skate, anyways?" Elizabeth ribbed, a toothy grin forming on her face as she looked up at him questioningly.

"Just two, and both were around eight or nine at the time. One is trying to teach Willy how to skate now." Darcy said, trying to skate backwards steadily. Because he hadn't done so in years, he was failing miserably to Elizabeth's amusement. When he taught Georgiana and Anne, he'd been skating every year thanks to the pond that always froze over at Pemberley. Elizabeth looked from Darcy to Georgiana, who was a much better skater, trying to show a severely shaking Bill how to skate.

"And the other?" She asked, turning back to him sharply when one of her legs started sliding backwards on its own volition. Darcy, seeing the movement, decided to swing to her side, giving up on going backwards; releasing her hands momentarily, he linked his right arm through her left and intertwined their fingers.

"That would be Anne… she was a quick learner, always on her feet doing something before…" Darcy finally replied, trailing off as he tried to lead Elizabeth, taking baby steps for her. Elizabeth gave his hand a squeeze, trying to imagine a young Anne squealing in pleasure, racing a teenaged Darcy around on a patch of ice; she couldn't imagine the pain Anne was going through for loosing her freedom of mobility on her own.

"Enough depressing bits. Have you ever skated before – not ice-skated, but in line? Ice-skating is a bit like that…" Darcy said, trying to draw Elizabeth's attention from Anne's despairing story; he could see the contemplative frown tugging at her lips already. He could feel the urge again to take her frown away, tugging at his heart, just like a few minutes ago when she'd worn one for his sake.

"I did, some… but I was terrible at it. Jane was a good teacher, but I've never really had balance on things that weren't my own feet like horses, bikes, skates – in line or ice, skateboards… all of that." Elizabeth replied, grateful for him to change the topic, unaware of how intensely attuned he was to what she felt and showed. Darcy smirked at the revelation, wishing they were in Derbyshire instead of New York so he could take her for a wild ride she'd be totally dependant on him for.

"What about you, any sports you've done? I can't imagine you on any team sports with your reclusive attitude." Elizabeth asked, not liking his smirk since she didn't know what he was thinking about. She didn't even realize Darcy had pulled her from baby steps to almost normal steps.

"I played some lacrosse… joined my dad for a round of golf or fishing sometimes… I horseback ride when I can, run every day, mountain bike, and when I'm in Derbyshire, motorbike. Nothing really stuck with me other than riding, biking, running, and fishing. As you can tell, my ice-skating skills have diminished. And you?" Darcy recalled the sports he'd tried over the years, only mentioning the ones he'd enjoyed greatly or shown a great aptitude to. Elizabeth just shrugged, hugging Darcy's arm to her side when she started to slip, reaching back to the far recess of her mind. Although she was what people would call and "outdoor-sy" type, she had never really done much but hike.

"I tried horseback riding but got bucked off, the only thing with wheels I have driven or ridden before and can control it is an automobile, and no sport really caught my fancy for very long. I've tried a few, like soccer, volleyball, gymnastics... but the only active things I do currently every now and then is hike, go on nature walks, or yoga." Elizabeth confessed, looking down and noticing, for the first time, their intertwined fingers. It didn't bother her, however. After she spoke, Darcy was struck with thoughts how flexible Elizabeth could be and how he could test her physical abilities; frowning slightly, he tried to dispel his admittedly naughty thoughts before they brought a corporeal reaction from him. He now also understood her unease when he'd gotten her to ride Tybalt and felt the familiar tug of guilt nibbling away at his soul.

"I apologize for getting you on—" Darcy stopped short, turning to the thankfully close railing and coughing, grabbing the banister for support after slipping his hand form Elizabeth's. She took his side in her grasp for support, finding none in his jerking body; Elizabeth left one hand comfortingly on Darcy's side but took the banister securely in her other hand, watching him closely. The coughing fit that wracked his body lasted long enough for Georgiana to skate over, Bill crawling along the railing with Charlotte and Maria skating slowly but surely after her, anxiously waiting on the side Elizabeth wasn't on.

"Fizz, I think–"

"Geogie, it's okay…" Darcy rasped, interrupting his sister, giving her a weak smile. His sides burned and ached and he was a bit out of breath now, but the fit was over. Usually, this would win over his concerned relatives, giving him peace, but Elizabeth was at his other side, not willing to take it. She slipped beneath his arm to be encompassed by Darcy's body, arms, and the side railing of the rink, wearing a tremendous frown. Her actions surprised Georgiana as she thought Elizabeth didn't like her brother.

"Fitzwilliam Something Darcy, you _promised_!" Elizabeth snapped, poking him hard in the chest quickly before returning her hand to the banister, trying to keep her from sliding down and onto the ice. Darcy's lips quirked at the edges, getting the mental image of her chastising him with her hands on her hips, wearing something of his and flustered adorably like she was now. Elizabeth colored slightly at the content, slightly longing look that had formed on Darcy's face, both having forgotten about their little audience.

"That I did, love, that I did. And it's Benjamin, not Something, if you're going to keep on saying that." Darcy conceded, sniffling. He leaned back from the railing and became conscious of Georgiana, Bill, Charlotte, and Maria again, his already ruddy cheeks darkening. Elizabeth turned and impeccable shade of red at the smirk she saw Charlotte wearing and wanted to die when she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Georgie, could you call Richard? I'm afraid I've a promise I need to keep." Darcy asked, choosing to ignore his sister's flabbergasted look. He moved back to let Elizabeth free, holding out his hand for her to take; she did so, quite hesitantly, eyes flashing to the little group next to them. Darcy gave her hand a squeeze, wondering if she was concerned about people knowing about them or just naturally coy when it came to having a significant other (because Darcy had long ago stopped being a boy), her actions form the day confirming his thoughts that she fancied him and wouldn't deny him the very great pleasure of having a stunning girlfriend could bestow. Elizabeth, however, was not in that state of mind; she was, in fact, embarrassed about all the attention they were receiving form their party and other women, curious as to why everyone was interested in them. She was oblivious to the looks Darcy was constantly giving her and thought nothing more of his actions from friendly deeds.

Georgiana ended up driving the Cobalt home with Maria joining their threesome, Darcy falling out of it as soon as he was inside the warm interior of his car. Richard had been surprised when he'd received the call, but it wore off when Georgiana explained to him who had gotten Darcy to agree he wasn't feeling well. At the hotel, Charlotte decided to be devious and joined her sister and Elizabeth in their room, her cell phone hidden in her hand; she had turned it to the recording screen and made sure it was on the hour-long stopping point instead of a minute.

"Elizabeth Bennet, you sly chick, you. Are you wearing those clothes you never returned to Darcy boy?" Charlotte said after starting the recording, dropping her phone on the plush bed closest to the door to her adjoined room. Elizabeth looked up at her sharply, face quickly donning a light pink shade, trying in vain to hide the copious amounts of black she was wearing with her slender, tanned arms.

"They're comfortable, for the last time!" Elizabeth snapped, giving Maria a sharp look when she started giggling, causing the younger girl to shrug and head into the bathroom for her shower. Charlotte smirked, raising an eyebrow, taking residence on the bed she'd dropped her phone onto; Elizabeth, wanting fair ground, rose form the floor and got onto the other bed, frowning slightly.

"After today, I have a right to interrogation and to have truthful answers. So, first question: Fitzwilliam Darcy, is he still Mr. Nightmare?" Charlotte asked, meeting Elizabeth's vexed gaze gamely; they had a staring match, which Elizabeth lost, making her look down, blush darkening.

"No, he's not. Bill is, no offense." She said softly, chewing on her lower lip. Charlotte laughed, assuring her friend she took no offense, before plowing on with the questions.

"Okay, if he's not Mr. Nightmare, is he Mr. Just No? Mr. Dreamy? Mr. Friend? Mr. I Want To Ravish—"

"Stop right there, Charlotte! He's… well, the Fitz we met in Texas would be a Mr. Just No because he was such a jack ass – most of the time… but her he is kind of… well, he'd be my leading role of Mr. Dreamy if I could ignore his past." Elizabeth was hesitant to relay her feelings toward Charlotte, since she knew how conniving her friend could be, but she wanted to get all her confusion out. One man couldn't be two different people and be considered legally sane, and she couldn't discern which man he was: Fitz, the charming, friendly bloke he was now, or Darcy, the ass hole? Maybe he was Darcy and just wanted in her pants now, like Caroline said and Wick implied, and Fitz was just his act to lure in innocent girls.

"Lizzie, no offense, but have you actually asked _Darcy_ about his past? I mean, Caroline has plenty of reasons to lie about him to you since she's just a jealous bitch, and Wick… I never met him, but from what Mark said, he sounds pretty slimy, too smooth to be real. And Jane thinks you were drugged that night you went to go see him and Darcy found you—"

"Charlotte! That's it!"

"What's it?" Charlotte asked, cautious since she had a feeling her plan was reversing on her. She knew all of what Elizabeth had been fed and was unsure of what to think entirely of Darcy herself, so she understood Elizabeth's myriad of feelings concerning the man. However, his behavior of late had convinced her Caroline was just spewing lies and Wick, telling the truth or not, didn't know the current Darcy. A person could wise up after seeing the consequences of their misdeeds, and if Wick was telling the truth, Darcy obviously had. Charlotte was sure of that from the way Georgiana venerated her brother that he was a good man at heart.

"He… he had to drug me… Darcy knew where I was… I don't remember much of anything, and…" Elizabeth trailed off, knowing she sounded as ludicrous as she felt. Darcy had no reason to drug her, and if he had, why? He had been totally chivalrous that night according to Jane; plus his actions the next day were innocent and concerned. But that raised the question of who drugged her and why Darcy was protecting them, as Jane had said he wouldn't say anything other than she must've drank too much and passed out from ingesting too much alcohol.

"He's so damn confusing, Char…" Elizabeth whispered in frustration, unknowingly trying to complete a puzzle with the wrong pieces and some missing completely.

"Liz-Biz, he's always going to be confusing – he's a man, and you're a woman. We've never seen eye to eye. I'm sure if you just asked him—"

"I can't just go up and accuse him of being an ex-rapist and what not, Char!" She interrupted Charlotte, face flushed in both anger and embarrassment. Certainly, a good conversation starter was not, "Oh, hey, so-and-so, I heard from so-and-so you used to rape and drug girls for the hell of it. So, um, is that true and all?"

"Hey, we're getting somewhere! Back in the summer, you totally would have if you'd had the chance, and you know it – don't deny it. So, what made you change your mind? Seeing his totally sexy tummy? That gorgeous, dimpled smile that comes around every now and then? Those eyes you drooled over from the start? Oh – maybe it's the change in his hair, the way it's slightly curly now? Tell me – you've got to, babe!" Charlotte crowed, teasing grin growing wider as Elizabeth got redder at every passing word. She didn't expect her friend to retaliate by grabbing a pillow and throwing it at her, nose scrunched up with annoyance.

"Charlotte, you're impossible."

"That's why you love me, sweetie."

"Pah, that's what _you_ think."

"I don't think it; I _know_ it."

Needless to say, when a severely mortified Maria, as she'd heard their whole conversation, came out of the bathroom from her shower, she wasn't surprised to see her older sister and Elizabeth having a wicked pillow fight that she got dragged in to.

_- (Crappy break line) -_

"Rise and shine, lovelies… well now. Who started a party and didn't invite me?" Richard entered the room Elizabeth and Maria were supposed to be sharing, surprised to see the trio of females surrounded by beaten pillows and a few empty Coke bottles.

"Really, now, that's just rude. Wake up, come on now, lassies." He prodded each one until they were semi-conscious and complaining incoherently before starting to pick up the mess they'd made.

"Ritz, how in the world do you get in here? Maria and I have the card keys…" Elizabeth groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, sitting up. Her back moaned in response, popping in a few places; when Charlotte rose, she was no better.

"That's the thing, Lizzie: you don't. The hotel has an extra key card plus an open-all card. I just bribed Brenda for the card for your room…" Richard said, with a smug air, watching the girls wake up slowly. It was nearly noon, but that didn't seem to register with them.

"When did you lassies pass out?"

"Uuuhh… this morning, sometime. Around three, maybe." Charlotte responded to him this time, stretching her arms over her head; Richard watched her, wondering if she knew how adorable she looked tousled up from sleep, her make-up smeared slightly, hair askew. The fact she was dating Bill was escaping him for a bit when he stared at her bountiful assets, only pulled from his trance when Maria cleared her throat loudly.

"Ah, um, yes… As it's almost the afternoon and Fitz is bedridden, I thought I'd take you lassies out to Central Park for a nice walk and romp in the snow after lunch… how's that sound, eh?" Richard questioned, rubbing the dark stubble adorning his chin, a light flush crossing his cheeks for being caught in his staring.

"Fitz is bedridden? Why?" Elizabeth asked, eyebrows quirking together, a pout forming on her lips. Even though Darcy had been in pretty bad shape when they'd left Rockefeller the previous evening, she thought he'd be up and moving since he'd been so obstinate before about not admitting he was sick. Richard smirked at her, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"If this is any indicator to you, I had to feed his beastly monsters this morning since he wouldn't wake up. If it's not, this should be: he hasn't left bed this morning except to go to the khazi when he actually woke. (1)" He said, for the first time thinking about how well Elizabeth knew his cousin. Darcy had everything about her that he was told and observed down to a t, but Richard wasn't sure if Elizabeth had committed him to her memory like he'd done to her. Her pout deepened as memories flashed in her mind's eye and words were whispered in her ears. Darcy was an early riser and never failed to feed his cats when they started yowling at him.

"Is anyone going to look after him? And what's a khazi?"

Richard started laughing even before Elizabeth finished speaking, trying to envision his independent cousin letting someone tend to him while he was still in denial about being ill. All three women looked at him imploringly, trying to find the humor he found in Elizabeth's questions that he blatantly had.

"Okay, Okay, I'll stop. But after his attitude last night, can you really imagine Fitz letting anyone care for him today? And, um, a khazi is a restroom… I forgot you Yanks don't use the same terms we do." Richard sighed when his laughs had abated, tears of mirth shimmering in the crinkling around his eyes. Charlotte snorted at the image she got, sharing the hilarity; Elizabeth, however, didn't see it in the same way.

"Is he so arrogant he won't let anyone make sure he's okay?" She asked, quite ignorant she actually spoke aloud. A shadow of a frown passed over Richard's face as he tried to figure how Elizabeth perceived Darcy as proud; he assumed it was because of the blank look and blunt statements Darcy usually had and made.

"He's not arrogant, just independent. Fitz has been taking care of himself for years now and doesn't like to show anyone he's not as strong as he makes one believe. I'm actually surprised you got him to go home early last night; generally, he would tough it out until the original time to go home came." Richard explained, hoping to change Elizabeth's thoughts to a positive angle. It wouldn't do Darcy any good if she had negative thoughts about him and thought he held her in contempt still. Elizabeth's face darkened in a contemplative way for a few minutes before she stood up and held her hand out to Richard.

"He needs to be knocked down a few pegs if he thinks that. May I borrow your card key?" She asked, not noticing she was still in the clothes she'd worn the day before and how slapdash she looked; all that was running through her head was her denial over caring for Darcy's wellbeing and getting him to come off his high horse.

"I'm going to go march right in to that room and make him see how stupid he's being." Elizabeth said after Richard placed the card key to his room in her hand, wearing a bemused expression. She turned towards the door and was about to open it when Maria spoke up.

"Hey, Lizzie, you might want to change first."

"… Right after I change."

_- (Crappy break line) -_

Darcy was nodding off when he heard the door open to his room. He hastily straightened up and grabbed his book form the bedside table, dumping it unceremoniously in to his lap for a cover; his sudden movements made Roland yowl in surprise and jump off the bed, since he'd been sleeping on Darcy's leg, looking miffed.

"Ritz, I told you I just wanted—"

"Shut up, Fitzwilliam Benjamin Darcy, and answer my questions. Have you taken any Tylenol or something yet?"

Darcy just stared, mouth open slightly, a bit stupefied when Elizabeth entered the room, hands on her hips and a drug store bag hanging from her right forearm; she was wearing dark wash jeans, her heavy jacket, mittens, a scarf, and a beanie she'd probably borrowed from someone as it was slipping low over her forehead, close to her eyes. Up until now, she'd never looked so adorable… or as commandeering. Elizabeth sighed, frowning, at his dumbfounded expression; had he really thought, after last night, she'd let him suffer alone? Didn't misery love company? She had to admit, he looked very appealing despite his pale complexion with his hair, some parts curled tightly and others sticking in black cords to his damp skin, clad in a ribbed, white wife beater and dark pants, the duvet pooled about his waist.

"… No, I haven't. I have no reason—"

"You are in need of company, old fart, and medicine. I can hear the rasp in your voice, so I bet your throat is sore. So, shut up and deal with it." Elizabeth interrupted, walking over to the bed he was in and setting her bag down. She took out the contents one by one and set them on the bed by his feet, adding to Darcy's unease; ever since his mother passed away, he'd never let anyone take care of him – Mrs. Reynolds was an exception when she found out when he was sick. Her words from one time when Georgiana was sick echoed in his mind, "You always watch out for Georgie so well when she's sick – why don't you let anyone do the same for you, little Fitz?" Darcy's countenance softened slightly as he watched Elizabeth shrug out of her heavy jacket and another one beneath it, revealing a red sweater, and took off the beanie, scarf, and mittens as well; she deposited them on Richard's vacant bed, save for Daisy, and turned back to him. He refrained form telling her he'd taken some cold pills the night before.

"Are you going to accept my help or will I have to strap you down to that bed and force feed you some meds?" Elizabeth asked, her hands once again resting on her hips, showing him she wasn't above doing exactly what she said. Darcy smirked slightly, trying to imagine the scene she described, finding nothing at all wrong with it; in fact, he almost welcomed it.

"I'm at your mercy, Ellie." Darcy practically purred, causing Elizabeth to go red. He thought she was embarrassed because she was being coy, not because she was actually a bit disturbed because of a plethora of mendacity.

"If you're at my mercy, then you'd better behave, old fart."

"Oh, I will, love."

Elizabeth gave him a look in hope Darcy would stop making passes at her, not totally sure of his intentions; it was making her severely nervous. Upon seeing her anxiety, Darcy immediately grew serious and cleared his throat, appearing somewhat apologetic. He took the little bottle of orange juice from her hand silently, sipping at it offhandedly until Elizabeth opened the bottle of Tylenol she'd gotten and gave him two pills, her fingertips grazing the expanse of his palm.

"Take these and let me feel your forehead." She ordered, a bit hesitant when she walked and stood right next to the head of the bed, in a very easy position to be grabbed. Darcy noticed her edgy disposition a pouted, wondering what was making her so jumpy; he took the pills and let Elizabeth push up his messy bangs to feel his warm forehead.

"You're burning up, old fart. Get some rest, don't do anything today." Elizabeth said, placing a firm hand on his chest and pressing down until Darcy was lying flat on his back. He gave her a curious look and covered her smaller hand with one of his own in attempt to keep it there; Darcy would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy her touching him.

"Do you always do this?" He asked quietly, ignoring the slight tug she gave in attempt to free her hand.

"What?"

"You rushed over once you found out Jane was sick, and now you're here because Ritz talked, aren't you?"

Elizabeth looked away, feeling both the thrumming of his heart and the harshness of his marred hand, wondering if she should lie or not. She didn't want to admit she cared for him to his face, but a good excuse as to why she was looking out for him escaped Elizabeth.

"I… um, well… only for people whom I worry about…" Elizabeth murmured, knowing her extremely outgoing nature when someone whom she cherished was due to her mother. With Faye dancing between hospital visits for most of Elizabeth's younger years, due to her nerves and bearing more daughters, she'd never appreciated hospitals or illness and tried her hardest to reverse them so no one she treasured would leave her again. With her embarrassment prevalent on her face, Elizabeth turned to face Darcy again to see a brilliant smile present on his face, his lips spread just slightly to reveal a splinter of whiteness that was his teeth. She didn't miss the few, quick exhales and slight jerks of his chest and was a bit confounded as to why Darcy was so giddy he was laughing silently.

"You just made my day, love."

"Lizzie-Bell, we're going now! Are you coming or staying?" A few light knocks accompanied Charlotte's voice. Elizabeth's head jerked towards the door, her heart torn; she wanted, dearly, to go play in the snow that had fallen overnight with the others, but she also desired to make sure Darcy got better. Even though her mind told her he would, her heart said he might not and needed her there.

"Go ahead, Ellie – I'll be fine. You just made sure of that. Don't miss out on the fun because of me, alright?" Darcy said, radiant smile still in place, giving her hand a squeeze. Elizabeth's eyebrows knitted together as she considered the option he gave her, not sure if she should go or not.

"Fitz, you better not be trying to make that poor lass become your maid or something for the day, let her have fun while you mope here! I'd come in and drag Lizzie out, but the bloody door is locked."

Richard's voice was accompanied by Charlotte's laughter and Bill's inquiries of her state of health.

"See, Ellie? It's always been this way. Go on and have your… snow day, I guess. Ritz is probably going to take you around town and end it with a snowball fight in Central Park so dress warmly." Darcy spoke softly, brushing the rough pad of his thumb across the smooth back of Elizabeth's hand before releasing it back to her with a soft pat. Elizabeth's expression turned even more melancholy at his words, trying to imagine what he meant by 'always'.

"I'll only go if you promise to call if you need anything, Fitz. I don't like this, not one bit." Elizabeth said firmly, unconsciously taking the hand he'd just released into her unoccupied one, retracing the paths his fingers had burned into her skin.

"I promise." Darcy said with lowered lashes, questioning mentally if Mark had told Elizabeth he'd been given her number. If she knew and didn't mind… well, that was just another positive step. Heart thrashing against his ribs, Darcy watched as Elizabeth donned her outerwear again and left him; of all the times to fall ill, this had to be the worst opportunity to do so. Actually, getting sick around Caroline would've been shoddier as she'd never leave his side.

Charlotte noticed the slightly torn look Elizabeth had when she exited Darcy's room and handed Richard the borrowed card key, not doubting that Elizabeth truly felt something for Darcy. Had she not, Elizabeth wouldn't have reacted the way she had, going to a local CVS and getting him medicine he probably already bought and other things to take when you're not feeling well.

"Come on, Lizzie; he's used to this. Fitz has never announced he was sick and only Mrs. R has ever been able to force him to let her take care of him. It's… easier this way, if you look at it, since he's so headstrong. No use crying over spilt milk or whatever, right?" Richard piped up cheerfully, garnering her reactions for later. Charlotte wrapped her arm around Elizabeth's shoulder, pulling her in lightly for a gentle noogie.

"Sweetie, if you'd rather snuggle with him all day—"

"Shut up! Lead the way, Ritz." Elizabeth snapped, face flushing; Charlotte had hit too close to home for her comfort. However, even under her incensed front and everyone assuring her he was used to this kind of treatment, she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness at leaving Darcy all to himself. To her, it didn't seem quite right and raised questions as to how long 'always' was.

Throughout the cold day of walking around the big apple's large park and frolicking in the snow she would have never seen so much amassed otherwise, Elizabeth could only concentrate on one thing: Darcy. It was quite unnerving since she was trying to convince herself he didn't matter, that he was just a friend… but then that would mean he did matter and issues as to how much. He'd quickly wormed his way into her affections presenting the physical attributes any sane person who was attracted to men and his conformed disposition; even at his worst, which was the initial car ride to the Rosings hotel they were staying at, Darcy had quickly swapped personas as if it were natural, his own way of going about life. She was obviously missing something of his character but unable to discern what, the confusion making her wary and scared at the same time for the feelings she nursed for him. Darcy wasn't making any sense; Elizabeth herself wasn't, either.

The day after the "Epic Fitz-Free Snow Day", as Richard had dubbed it, Darcy took Elizabeth on her own private tour with him through the moonlight (and New York city lights) that was utterly mind-blowing. The way he acted that night hardly compared to when the day of Lady Catherine's New Years party dawned. Lady Catherine busied herself up in her hotel, ordering around the poor saps that were decorating the ballroom for the special night. Everything had to be perfect or else it wouldn't do. There were important people coming to the party, yes, but, even more importantly to Catherine, all her nephews and nieces were in the same place at the same time. Richard's older brother, Gregory, had come early for one of his business meetings in America and was staying with a group of friends he'd met before under similar grounds; he arrived early to join the party and surprise his brother and his younger cousins. Since Georgiana, Darcy, and Richard were already staying at Rosings, the little quartet was complete. Many people believed her to be a high-handed, obstinate woman who cared only for number one, but, however, they were wrong. Catherine knew she was arrogant, she knew she was stubborn, but she knew she wasn't only looking out for herself.

Okay, mostly for herself, but still.

Catherine did love all her relatives and did care to have them all together at once, not just because they cast such an imposing, aristocratic look when they all gathered. It didn't matter that Richard was a bit of a pyromaniac, Gregory was a bit of an alcoholic, Darcy was a bit of a misanthrope, Georgiana was a bit of a wall flower, Anne was paralyzed from the waist down and even more misanthropic than Darcy, or Catherine was a bit (or quite a bit) materialistic. They were family, and Catherine would be damned if she didn't try her hardest to get the old days of whole maladjusted family gatherings to start up again. In Derbyshire, they had once been famous for their family festivities, but in the past ten years, as the Darcy/Fitzwilliam clan had more elderly people than young, most had been dropping like flies. The string of deaths had, regrettably, started with Benjamin and Anne Darcy.

When seven o'clock rolled round, Catherine was quite sure everything would be perfect; she was very, very wrong, however, on someone else's account. Though, she wasn't very disturbed with why one of her nephews was missing; actually, she was quite pleased he was finally wising up, even if it was for a _girl_ with no background or wealth. Elizabeth had a mouth on her Catherine both admired and despised, as it was rare to find someone who had enough gall to talk back to her… or turn down the most handsome of her nephews. Even though he didn't speak when he came back to the ballroom in inform Catherine he wasn't staying and was perfectly civil, she could tell Darcy was internally seething and berating himself.

_- About an hour earlier -_

"Lizzie, you must've been spending too much time out with Darcy. Did you guys have a midnight rendezvous or something?" Charlotte asked, pressing her palm to Elizabeth's forehead; it didn't feel exceptionally warm, but she was willing to lie should anyone ask.

"No! What would… no." Elizabeth replied weakly, eyes shifting to the little group consisting of Georgiana, Richard, Maria, and Bill gathered by the door.

"Y'know, my altruist cousin will be down here in a jiffy, lass, once he catches wind of this. He'll think he's to blame and he'll be here, though I think his finely polished armor is back in Pemberley." Richard snorted, already knowing the truth that Elizabeth had, in fact, had a midnight rendezvous with Darcy.

"Altruist, Fitz?" Elizabeth asked, smirking slightly. Except for where Georgiana was concerned (and herself, a few times), he'd never really acted that selfless; he was nice, she'd give him that, but an altruist pushed the limits.

"Yep, a real dyed-in-the-wool kind of bloke. You know Charlie Bingley, right? Fitz just saved him from a worthless relationship." He said, no idea he was digging a grave for his cousin. Richard didn't notice Elizabeth or Charlotte stiffen and glance at each other.

"A worthless relationship?" Elizabeth's voice was quiet to keep her anger from seeping in. Charlotte frowned slightly, placing a comforting hand on her friend's forearm, knowing whatever good opinions Elizabeth had of Darcy were now swiftly going down the drain; whenever Jane was questioned, Elizabeth took it as a personal insult.

"Yes. Something about the girl's integrity was questioned and Fitz made Charlie see the light. Apparently, she wasn't that pretty compared to - oh… terrible sorry, lassies, my mouth diarrhea got ahead of my again." Richard suddenly knew what he was speaking about. The only girl who Darcy spoke about, other than relatives and complaints about Caroline Bingley, was Elizabeth, and Darcy had said the girl who Charlie was mooning over was nothing compared to her sister. That Richard finally noticed Elizabeth's changed countenance added to his hunch.

Elizabeth was tempted, very sorely tempted, to ask Richard to finish what he had been saying but thought better of it; whatever he said wouldn't defend Darcy and would probably only further his disappointment in him. From the trip, she'd more or less assumed Caroline was all to blame for separating Charlie and Jane as he seemed attuned to how people felt; he seemed genuinely self conscious and troubled at the Rockefeller skating rink when he was ill when it concerned how their large party would get home. Obviously, it had to be Darcy's arrogant nature raising its ugly head, making him think Charlie was above a relationship with Jane who was inferior compared to the wealthy woman he could get.

"Don't be afraid to call, Liz-Biz, if you need something – anything. I'll get it for you, hun." Charlotte said, somewhat awkwardly, as a silence had befallen the room. No one outside their trio understood the sudden tension in the air but didn't speak, in fear of offending someone unconsciously, save for Bill who was mentally rehearsing what he'd say to praise all Lady Catherine's guests. With a slight not and a hand squeeze, Charlotte left Elizabeth on the bed and ushered everyone else out, hoping against all hope Darcy wouldn't try to visit Elizabeth since he had the power to be able to do so. She was sadly disheartened when Darcy, upon seeing Elizabeth not present when they entered the ballroom, questioned about her whereabouts.

Darcy, who'd been called up to the ballroom early by his aunt to ask him if he wanted to sit between _that girl_, her preferred title for Elizabeth, and Georgiana, was surprised to not see her present in the group he originally planned on entering with was missing one impish Texan. Everyone but Bill sketchily replied to Darcy's inquiries, as he was the only one who hadn't perceived the earlier rigidity emanating from Elizabeth. Not five minutes after Bill had stated Elizabeth wasn't feeling her best and was spending her New Year's in her room (which was quite rude, he mentioned), Darcy had obtained the spare key card to her room and was heading down from the third to the second floor to see to her personally. Looking nothing short but his New Year's best, which happened to be a pair of black slacks with a matching long-sleeved button up, a silver tie, and a mostly fruitless attempt to tame his dark curls, he was quite a sight for people braving the stairs, rushing down the one flight with a slight tinge of pink dashed across his cheeks.

Elizabeth was only half-surprised to see Darcy when he entered her room, head ducked slightly to try and hide his flushed disposition.

"I… heard you weren't feeling well?" She had never seen him look so awkward, so real, so frazzled. Darcy's left hand had risen from his side to tangled within the curls dangling form the nape of his neck, accidentally mussing what had once been neat, and his weight shifted from one heel to the other covertly, resulting in a slight swaying movement only noticed if one watched his shoulders and saw the doorway appear and reappear behind them. To his credit, Darcy had never felt more anxious, including the list of memorable firsts he had (like his first kiss, visiting Georgiana on his bike, etc), seeing Elizabeth dressed warmly in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt he remembered vividly plus a pair of bright purple fuzzy socks, sitting in the chair by the desk arranged in the hotel room.

"No, not quite well enough to be in the company of others, I'm afraid." _Definitely not well enough to see you_. Elizabeth was too confused, trying to process the new information presented to her not ten minutes before; on top of her befuddlement, she did get dizzy when she stood up and did feel sick to her stomach.

"Do you need anything?" Darcy asked, immediately thinking of the supply of cold medicine in the bathroom of his room just across the hall and the vending machines by the elevators. When Elizabeth shook her head in the negative, he started pacing, trying to find the right words and regain his shattered confidence. Even though he was nearly thirty years of age and had asked out plenty of women (plenty of women who had more authority and class, according to society), the thought of asking Elizabeth out for dinner was sending his thoughts into turmoil, tidal wave after tidal wave of words assaulting the beaches of his mind. Darcy didn't expect her to refuse him – of course, for a later day so she could get better – but he wasn't sure if Elizabeth would feel comfortable dating him. He was, after all, _Fitzwilliam Darcy_. If one uttered his name in England, people would turn and look and photographers would scramble for their cameras, and almost the exact same reaction would happen in the parts of America that were concerned with famous British folk or the filthy rich. No one would dare turn down someone of his caliber, or no one had yet.

Elizabeth watched Darcy pace back and forth, watching the array of emotions pass over his face from his slight scowl to knitted eyebrows, wondering what he could be in such indecision about. From what she'd seen, he was always in control, always ready for the expected and unexpected. When he suddenly spoke up, after around five minutes of straight pacing back and forth in front of the door, Elizabeth jumped slightly, having grown used to the silence and not expecting him to break it.

"In vain I have struggled, Elizabeth, and it will not do anymore. I can't go another day – nay, another hour, with out asking you to dinner." Darcy said, facing her completely, looking more like a cadet answering his general with one hand fisted around the other's wrist behind his frightening straight back and squared shoulders. With his eyebrows creating a grim, unforgiving line over his bright gray eyes, Elizabeth wondered if it was a punishment for him rather than a pleasantry.

"What?" She asked, words completely bypassing Darcy's ears as he plowed on, not aware of his exact words but thinking they were the correct ones.

"Even though I met you at a time where I wasn't looking but rather, to be blunt, babysitting, you caught my interest after our initial meeting, if one can call it that, at Charlotte's party. Then, you were completely beneath my radar. Unwillingly, I took a notice of you and started to… fancy you, think about you day and night. Even after I'd met your relatives – your father, intelligent but apathetic and ignorant, your mother, equally as ignorant and quite vexing plus materialistic, and your three younger sisters, all debatably… _frivolous_ in their own way, and Willy… well, you've seen him. At first, I was scared to relate myself to knowing them, and rightly so. However, I've overcome these discrepancies and my own preference in women and have come to… to…" Darcy stopped there, stumbling with the correct words, wondering about his exact feelings. Was it love? Obsession? Favoring? As he was trying to delve deep enough into them, Elizabeth stood up and crossed her arms under her chest, face dark and cloudy for the upcoming storm.

"You know what, Darcy?" Her harsh tone and the use of his last name instead of Fitz garnered Darcy's rapt attention, bewilderment present in his eyes for a fleeting moment.

"I might have considered you, a few days ago, but in light of your so-called _confession_ and what I've been informed of, I consider you the last man on earth I'd like to date – yes, even _Willy_ is in front of you. I'm sure the turmoil you felt before finding yourself in whatever you feel for me now can help you out of it." It took Darcy a few seconds to process Elizabeth's words, trying to cope with the blatant rejection and obvious distaste prevalent in her words, tone, and body language.

"You… you're rejecting _me_? Might I ask why you see me as such a contemptible person?" His words were bitten out with ire behind bared teeth and taut muscles, but it was just his defensive mechanism to keep his wounded pride intact.

"That's one of the many reasons I wouldn't ever date you, Darcy! You think so highly of yourself, so arrogant and rude… a day never passed with out you looking down your nose at us in Texas, not speaking and acting as offending as you could. I thought maybe, just maybe that was because Caroline was around after Georgie talked to me, but no! This has got to be your true nature, this boorish brute that always gets his way. On top of that, do you _really_ expect me to say I'd love to go to dinner with you after all you've done?" Elizabeth retaliated, her own defenses rising. She stiffened when Darcy took a few long strides toward her in agitation, considerably lessening the distance between them; in retribution, she stepped backwards around the desk, leaving the solid wooden furniture as a physical barrier, apprehension apparent on her face. The only problem was the wall, should Darcy choose to go around the desk, wasn't but a foot behind Elizabeth.

"And can you tell me what I've done, exactly?" Darcy asked, a bit unnerved and saddened by her movement; was she really scared of him? Did he really present himself as the violent type?

"First, your fucking confession – you really took a liking to berating my family and me, didn't you? 'After you'd et my relatives' and then following it up with your shoddy opinions of them – and preferring different women but liking me against you will when you weren't even looking but _babysitting_ – is that how you see Charlie? As someone you need to _watch_ and not as a friend? Speaking of Charlie, you separated him from Jane in the summer and kept them from dating, probably! Why? Because we're not rich enough for him, because Jane can't compare to the vapid, gold-digging whores Charlie could get otherwise? Not only have you done injustice to him, but Ritz and Wick as well!" At that, Elizabeth stopped, seeing the sardonic look blackening Darcy's facial expression. With an obvious restraint, he closed the final distance between them, nearly smothering Elizabeth with the animosity seeping from his person.

"Wick, as in George Wickham? Please, do enlighten me as to what I've done to _that bastard_ and my own bloody _cousin_." Darcy snarled, pressing his wide palms to the wall around Elizabeth's head in attempt to keep himself from bruising his knuckles and the poor unsuspecting wall. With a bout of confidence stemming from her rebellious nature, Elizabeth snorted and continued.

"If you must know, as if you don't remember, you've treated Ritz with nothing but disrespect in addition to leaving him out, stranded, in the freezing weather with nothing but a light jacket! And what haven't you done to Wick? You rejected him furthering his education and tossed him aside like you do women! You drugged and raped women for pleasure – and are starting up again, I've heard. You also don't own up to your mistakes, even if it costs thousands of people their jobs!" Elizabeth snapped, looking up into his molten mercury eyes, her own rivaling the shade of disturbed earth. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his unsteady breathing ghosting across the panes of her cheeks, see a faint white scar traveling vertically for a few centimeters on his upper lip, see each and every tip of his hair curling upward toward the ceiling, and could, quite possibly, if she felt like it and had enough time to, count every lowered eyelash above and below his calming eyes. Darcy, in return, saw the vision of Elizabeth's slightly parted lips, begging to be brushed by his own, a little ringlet of hair descending behind her right ear, the dusting of freckles that were nearly the same shade of her tan across her nose and cheeks, and that her eyes were not completely on shade of brown but had specks of gold and green doing a tango with a myriad of cinnamon hues.

"Those are very heavy offences indeed…" Suddenly devoid of energy and growing despondent, Darcy ducking his head even closer to Elizabeth's, letting his slightly chapped lips sweep ever so slightly across her cheek and the corner of her lips, finally taking in her rigid posture.

"I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Miss Elizabeth…" With a final sigh, Darcy was gone, just like that, not too unlike the final winds blowing across the ravaged coastline once a hurricane had past. Elizabeth frowned deeply, crumbling to the floor and drawing her knees to her chest, trembling arms wrapping around them. A trail of tears was soon forged across her face, the salty little troops marching downward under the law of gravity but sent out from the orders of a very confused general.

"Why are you so…" Elizabeth whispered to the world, unfinished sentence hanging in the air like well-worn clothes on a clothesline in a summer breeze, two wavering fingers tracing the path Darcy's lips had grazed yet burned down her skin.

**A/N**: _Beastly in the UK doesn't mean awesome; it means quite the opposite, in fact. :P Just throwing that out there. Sorry about the exceptionally late update… my computer is over heating every half hour or so most of the days, my school tennis team is really picking it up this year, and my History teacher really knows how to load it on for the weekends which is when I usually have enough time to write. Plus, Algebra 2 is kicking my ass long and hard. :| Anyone use absolute value horizontal/vertical stretches and compresses IRL? And sorry for the spelling mistakes I'm sure fill this chapter – to get it out soon, I'm posting it with out reading over it to see if I can catch them._

_~ Tobi_


	11. On The Sidewalk It Was Written

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?  
><strong>Songs<strong>: She Hates Me by Puddle of Mudd and The Reason by Hoobastank.  
><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
>Bookworm371<span>: Why, thank you. :) I hope to not disappoint you with this by the end, then.  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Smosh is fun, and Ask Charlie is hilarious. It's not totally Ritz's fault, lol. It was happy in the beginning! :P The sidewalk, as I'm assuming you meant from the title, is a metaphorical reference I came up with when walking; people write their names on sidewalks in hope it will stay there until that piece of concrete is gone in many years. It's the same thing, I think, with people in love; you show the one you want what you hope is a lasting impression… otherwise like writing your name on a sidewalk.  
><span>Harriate Slate<span>: I'm not, actually. It is a British slang term for the toilet – mainly used around Liverpool, but still. I did double check after reading your review, and Google provides a few sites saying this.  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you. C: I update as quick as I can, promise, lol.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: I'm glad. :3 Well, yes…. You'll soon see.  
>Shallwedance9: Thank you! :D<br>Merrilymary: Thanks. Hey, you knew it'd happen eventually. ;P  
>Fspsarcastic: Thank you. C:<p>

******* _Italic paragraphs mean a flashback dream_ *******

**- On The Sidewalk It Was Written -**

Elizabeth couldn't cry for long as she didn't know the entirety of what she'd just rejected, but the melancholy mood she was in didn't disappear. It festered and smarted, growing and dissipating, never really staying constant in the dives and climbs of her thoughts trying to figure out who, exactly, Fitzwilliam Darcy was. Was he the man she'd grown fond of, or was he the despicable human being Wick described him as and Caroline encouraged the image of? Certainly, he couldn't be that bad since, with Wick's exception, everyone that knew him more than just a passing meeting said he was a good man but aloof or implied as much.

With such a tumult of thoughts and emotions, Elizabeth didn't move form her upright fetal position against the wall, and Charlotte found her humming sadly the tune of a song she'd long forgotten the name of.

"Sweetie, it's okay. Do you want to tell me about it?" Charlotte asked quietly after locating her friend, sitting down softly beside her criss-cross applesauce and wrapping a comforting arm around Elizabeth's petite shoulders. It didn't matter that her good dress was getting crinkled about her waist and her knickers would be flashed to anyone who bothered to come in the room; all that mattered was that Elizabeth would be okay. From her minimal experience with dating men – boys, actually, Elizabeth had always separated with them on equal terms of lost romantic affection; never before had she had a conflict of interest.

"He… confessed, Char, to _something_. He fancies me even though his usual women are nothing like me, even though he thinks my family is a deplorable addition to his list of acquaintances… and I don't even know if he did all the things I've been told he's done. He didn't deny them nor say they were true. I don't know what to think anymore." Elizabeth seemed to whisper after a few minutes of waiting, eyes narrowed not by anger but her obvious confusion and disappointment. Charlotte didn't say anything, not too sure what the right words would be, and started to rub Elizabeth's arm in hope of silently comforting her young friend. She wanted to say, "At least you're leaving soon," but since Elizabeth had taken a shining to Darcy, she didn't know how it would affect Elizabeth.

- (Crappy break line) -

Richard could see that his cousin was agitated when he'd informed Catherine that he wouldn't be staying for her New Year's party, and with the absence of Elizabeth, he could ascertain what had happened. He had to suffer through Gregory, his older brother, telling stories and bugging him about Darcy, for five long hours until midnight; then, Gregory started to indulge himself with one of his weaknesses, alcohol. For propriety's sake, Richard stayed at his aunt's party until nearly two in the morning before he went back to the room he was sharing with Darcy to check up on him. At first, he believed the room to be empty, but a long, Darcy-shaped shadow peeking out form beneath the desk told him otherwise. Richard went around the desk, finding Darcy leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window of their room, eyes gazing listlessly down at the lights surrounding the city's forest of cars and buildings.

"Hey, beanstalk. How's it going?" Richard asked softly, sitting down next to Darcy, already feeling the chill from the window glass even though he wasn't touching it, unlike his cousin who had his whole right side pressed to it. Darcy's eyes slowly traveled from what he was seeing but didn't comprehend onto Richard's face, despair evident, oozing off of him in thick waves; it took him even longer to realize Richard had even spoken and understand it.

"…" His chapped lips parted slightly, ready to encase words unspoken, not thought of yet, also unable to do so in a coherent fashion. Richard waited patiently, knowing the symptoms already; something bad had happened that was causing Darcy to fall in on himself. It had been the same when his mother, father, and Vincent Reynolds died; Georgiana's experience with George Wickham also garnered the same results. Richard was sorely reminded of the terribly introverted little boy he first met when he was eight and wondered if Darcy knew how deep he'd fallen for Elizabeth yet; to Richard, it was blatant. However, love was, indeed, blind to those whom it concerned.

"She… she hates me, Richard. She loathes me with such _vehemence_…" Finally the words spew forth, tumbling over each other like excited children seeing the mall Santa Clause, sounding confused and hurt… broken. Darcy looked back out the window, a deep scowl forming on his lips at the memory; apparently, even _Willy Collins_ was better than him in Elizabeth's eyes. Richard was pleased by the anger forming on his cousin's face since anything was better than the desolate self-abhorrence and pity. It also meant Darcy would speak more.

"Little Lizzie said that? Any reason why?" He asked, thoughts sprinting back to the past couple days of watching Darcy and Elizabeth flirt constantly. Surely she couldn't hate Darcy if she went on and on with him?

"Yes… apparently, Wickham is duping her in more ways than one… she thinks I'm an arrogant, cowardly, rude, spoilt, violent, horny piece of shit… she _dislikes_ what I did for her sister… and she thinks I treat you with disrespect and left you all by your lonesome when we picked them up form the airport." Darcy spit out, ire rising. How could she think that of _him_? How could she believe _George Wickham_ over _him_?

"Where would she get that impression of you?" Richard asked, wanting to stray away from the Wickham topic since it wasn't pleasant for either of them, unknowingly heading straight into it.

"That poxy bastard is feeding her lies. He's telling her his story but using me as the deplorable human being for a pity story. Someone else is backing him up, too, but I don't know whom for sure since she thinks I'm just trying to shag her. Wickham doesn't know I fancy her, so he couldn't have told her I'm 'starting back up again'. If I had a guess, it'd be Caroline or Louisa trying to get rid of what Caroline views as competition." Darcy snarled, hands previously just resting atop his knees that were drawn to his chest curling into hard fists. His face was taut with harsh lines of resentment, lips curling to reveal a sneer of disdain; Richard couldn't help but share the same expression.

"You've told her what he's done and she believes him over you?" He asked heatedly, incredulous.

"No, but—"

"Bloody hell, beanstalk! No wonder she believes him if you've not given her anything to back your side up! What are you, mental?" Richard interrupted crossly, in tones much louder than before. Darcy was supposed to be the smarter one between the two of them, but Richard wasn't sure of that at the moment. Sometimes it seemed as if Darcy lacked common sense in the most important of times.

"I can't betray Georgie's confidence, Richard! She made me promise – she made _you_ promise!" Darcy shot back, sound level matching Richard's. Eyes flashing, he stood up in a huff, turning his back to his still sitting cousin.

"Fuck, beanstalk, do you not think outside the box in situations like these? You could have told her with out mentioning Georgie – saying it was a close mate of yours or something!" Richard gnarred, glaring up at his cousin's pin-straight back.

"Richard, Ellie isn't _dense_! She knows I don't have any close female friends, and she could either come up with Georgie or some imaginary girlfriend. I'd rather her not think of either, thank you very much!" Darcy refused to look back at Richard, trying to remedy a cure for his situation. Now that Richard had said it, he wanted redemption so badly it hurt him. It burned in his soul a fire of justice, ignited by the wrong that was George Wickham and a meddling Caroline Bingley.

"Then ask Georgie if you can tell her the truth." Richard said quietly, stilling the entire room. He'd never seen Darcy leave as quickly as he did after mulling the thought over, calling, "And don't call me beanstalk, Ritz – I've been taller than you since I was fourteen," over his shoulder.

After securing a positive answer from Georgiana, ten minutes later Darcy held a mighty scowl on his face as he paced back and forth in the room, Roland and Daisy watching him with unconcealed apprehension in their large cat eyes; the energy that had left him suddenly before had returned with a great force. All his muscles were rigid and coiled, ready to spring, as he tried to contemplate, rationally, all the offences that had been laid against him and how to rectify them; his body screamed of pent up strength and fury. Darcy knew the cycle he was about to fall into – from extreme anger he'd go to depression and lung cancer on a stick. With his tie constricting like a boa around his neck, Darcy stopped pacing to rip it off and toss it aside, fingers fumbling with the knot when they shouldn't have. Soon the rest of his nice clothes followed suit and, clad in just his undergarments and rummaging around for a clean set of night wear, Darcy came up with the idea to go for a run.

Fifteen minutes later he was on the first floor, having snuck into the work out room the Rosings hotel had, and was sprinting all his renewed energy out next to some bloke who said he was getting a head start on his New Year's resolution. A burning track of bitterness was being laid around Darcy's mind, and the words he wanted to shout, scream, yell for the world to hear didn't pass his lips. He wanted to call Elizabeth and George Wickham names that weren't too nice, but he didn't have the heart to for the former because they would be lies and knew the latter was worse than anything he could come up with. Darcy just couldn't wrap his mind around how Elizabeth, whom he was sure had been flirting with him since the time they'd met, could reject someone like him. He could have been knocked down with a feather when his realization came: those were the same type of thoughts Elizabeth had accused him of. Arrogance. Conceit. Being a jerk. He'd never before been accused of such things, so the flaw in his character had grown and he'd never known it.

Darcy kept running, trying to tire his body out while coming up with a way to get his point, his defenses, across to Elizabeth and know she'd see it. Emails and texts were out of the option because she could delete them with out a second thought and he'd be none the wiser; a call, and similarly a talk, were out of the question as well because she'd ignore and avoid him. Darcy could write her a letter, but he wasn't sure of a way to secure she wouldn't burn it, recycle it, whatever, instead of reading it. She was leaving tomorrow, anyways… Darcy's constant step faltered as an idea sprang into his mind, causing him to almost trip. It'd be sneaky and against some of his morals, but it'd be worth it.

"You okay, man? You goin' too fast?" The man on a nearby treadmill asked, concern laced over his sweaty face. Darcy glanced over at him as he slowed his pace down, wondering if he'd ask someone if they were alright if they almost tripped next to him. Probably not, but that wasn't rude, was it? It was just in his reclusive nature, right?

"No, thank you. I'm… better than alright – capital, in fact." He replied, giving the man a slight nod before he turned off the treadmill after he'd slowed down enough, jogging out of the work out room and back up the stairs to his room. Darcy had a letter of the utmost importance to write and some scheming to do.

Two hours later and one snap, crackle, pop and then some from his back later, Darcy was done. It wasn't the neatest letter ever written with all the inkblots, scratch marks, and slanted, severely slapdash writing in his haste, but it was legible and that was all that mattered to him. He frowned slightly, knowing the plotting and deceit part of his plan was soon. It wasn't like Darcy wanted to trick Elizabeth, but he felt like he needed to, not just for clearing everything she had incorrect up, but also because she could come in close quarters with Wickham again. Darcy was startled when he looked at the time and saw it was nearly five thirty, just about the time when everyone would wake up and welcome the first morning in 2012; it also meant he had and undeterminable amount of time left before Elizabeth woke up. Restless energy returning back to him full force, perhaps even more so, Darcy decided he should deliver his letter before she did happen to wake up.

The seconds ticked by for Darcy like molasses slipping through one's fingers; there seemed to be nothing he could do to get rid of his anxiety, the fuel for his case of the jitters. It was, quite possibly, the most nervous he'd been, ever. Would she read it? Would she still detest him? Would she throw it out? Gathering his courage, Darcy took his carefully enveloped letter with trembling fingers and left his own room, using the card key Richard had gotten from Brenda to enter the quiet room silently and unannounced. He stood in the doorway for a few minutes to let his eyes get used to the darkness before moving to the bed where he saw tousled brunette waves spread across the pristine whiteness of a pillow like chocolate streams. Darcy swallowed hard, quickly finding the backpack he hoped was Elizabeth's carry-on; he opened it to see the little messenger bag was filled with books with an iPod and a cell phone sitting on top. Meticulously, he slipped the letter beneath her phone and iPod, zipping the bag back up once he was done, electing against taking out her books and such to make sure she had nothing but his letter to amuse herself with over the course of her flight. It wouldn't be right and would probably show off smugness that wasn't there of how he could enter her room and replace her belongings with a letter.

Darcy righted himself, going to the side of the bed where he could see Elizabeth's delicate face; it was blank, with her cheeks rosy and lips parted somewhat. He leaned forward slightly, gently placing his fingers below her chin to close her mouth for her; they soon traced a trail from her chin up her jaw to her temple to sweep back a few stray hairs. He wouldn't believe the puffiness around her eyes was from crying over him if Charlotte dared to tell him; all Darcy was conscious of was that she had cried and that he wanted to get rid of all her tears. With a painful jolt, he realized he'd probably never see her again, and that was enough to make his whole hand cup her exposed cheek and his body to lean forward so that his lips brushed her temple.

"Good bye, Ellie, love. I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me and stay away from George Wickham."

- (Crappy break line) -

_Elizabeth was about to get into bed when a light 'clack!' sounded against her window. She ignored it until it repeated a few more times, angrily ripping back the curtains to see what idiot was vexing her at close to midnight; after a long day that included a tiring dinner party with Lady Catherine, she had no patience for something like this. However, what she saw was an adorable looking Darcy, rocks in hand, squinting up at her window with concentration. His face lit up with one of his rare dimpled smiles when he saw her, and he gestured to the ground that was lightly layered with snow by his feet. A pink hue climbed up her face and a silly smile wormed its way onto her lips at the ridiculousness of the situation. Darcy gave her an encouraging grin and held up one gloved hand; first, he made a thumbs up sign and then turned it upside down. Shaking her head and laughing softly, Elizabeth gave him a thumbs up to the question written in the snow: I can't show you the world, but may I show you my view of Central Park?_

_Quietly she changed into warm clothes, careful not to wake Maria, turning giddy at the thought of what Darcy's view of Central Park might be. He hadn't been out very much after their first day out to visit the zoo and Rockefeller plaza; in fact, Georgiana and Richard teamed up with Elizabeth to keep him tucked away in the warm confines of the Rosings hotel. They never accosted him with out her by their side, which was quite amusing. Darcy was waiting in the lobby when Elizabeth went downstairs decked out in jeans, two layers of long sleeves, a pair of gloves, and the beanie Georgiana was letting her borrow for the duration of the trip; he looked her up and down for show before giving his silent approval of a nod._

"_Are you sure you're okay to go outside?" Elizabeth asked after his display, jumping slightly when Darcy grabbed the lapels of her jacket and pulled her gently closer to him; she was still in a slight daze when he zipped her jacket up for her and pulled the high collar up to her chin to protect her neck from the wind and her hood over her head despite the beanie. Even with past boyfriends, none of them had done something so… tender? Caring? The right word escaped Elizabeth. Nor had they ever tried to take her out past ten because of her father's influence and her own trepidation; however, she felt no apprehension facing a midnight rendezvous with Darcy, only excitement (and, if she was being totally, one hundred percent honest, some fatigue as well)._

"_I've been shut away in this hotel for a couple days now, love; I'll go on a rampage if I don't get out soon." Darcy jested, taking her hand and leading her out into the freezing night._

"_You and rampage don't really mix, Fitz." Elizabeth said, chuckling, surprised at how light it was outside thanks to the man-made suns of the night instead of the natural satellite high in the sky along with the light of millions of years past._

"_Ah, you never met me as a teenager, Ellie. I was a right ol' yob." Darcy said with a nostalgic sort of grimace. Elizabeth raised her eyebrow in question, wondering if he'd catch on or not._

"_I… before my father died, I was quite rebellious since he was dating again; I felt like he was trying to replace my mum, like most kids would. As this was also before Vincent died, I 'conveniently' borrowed his motorbike even though I didn't have a license for at the time. If I couldn't get his motorbike, I took my father's horse out for a strenuous ride since I had a tame gelding and he had an obstinate stallion that was difficult to handle. Also, Ritz had a tendency to take mine out during the day, anyways." Darcy said when he caught her expression, donning a sheepish look._

"_Sounds like normal rich boy behavior to me. We've only ever had mares since my mother didn't want to have stallions or geldings on our property; little Knightley is our first male horse since he was the cheapest." Elizabeth said, smiling up at him; Darcy just shrugged, not going further into his past. She wanted to know who Vincent was but didn't inquire further, remembering when Georgiana had her little meltdown and mentioned a 'Vince' who had also passed away; they were probably the same man. The pair fell into a companionable silence as Darcy led Elizabeth the short distance form Rosings to Central Park; he pointed out things every now and then to her that held a sentimental value to him from years ago when he visited on a yearly basis. Darcy explained to Elizabeth that Lady Catherine had married Harold de Bourgh when he was four and moved with him to New York, New York after their honey moon and started up the Rosings hotel chain, named after Harold's ancestral home in England; two years after that, the happy couple adopted a then new-born Anne from an orphanage. Lady Catherine was a far cry different back then when Harold was around because when she was widowed just four years after adopting Anne, Darcy swore to Elizabeth he hadn't seen her smile ever since Harold's funeral. He'd died a hero's death, pushing a young woman and her baby out of the way just as a drunk driver was careening into the sidewalk._

"_She might seem like a bitter old hag now, but she has reason to be. I think she's also harsh on Anne because she's terrified of loosing her, too… Aunt Catty is a complex woman, really. A bit vain and materialistic, but her heart is in the right place for most things." Darcy finished when they reached the south end of Central Park. Elizabeth nodded in understanding, trying to imagine a smiling, happy Lady Catherine; it was about as hard to imagine that image as it was for her to gauge her feelings towards Darcy._

"_The snow is fresh, if you didn't notice, so on the bridle path we might see some tracks. I'm pretty sure Ritz didn't take you girls down this path. Am I correct?" Darcy asked, starting in the direction where the bridle path started._

"_Yeah – when we came here with him, we only went to the Great Lawn. It was fun because of the snow and all the other people there. We got a large snowball fight going on with forts and teams and such!" Elizabeth stated, grinning at the memory. It had been one of the few snowball fights she'd partaken in and definitely the largest with the most snow available. He chuckled softly, giving her hand a squeeze; the serenity of the scene was palpable when they started on the bridle trail. Elizabeth was too intimidated by the winter beauty to break the still air save for a few excited gasps when Darcy showed her animal tracks or a fascinating icicle. After what seemed like ages in the timeless splendor, Darcy paused, putting a tree under heavy scrutiny._

"_Is there something in that tree?" Elizabeth asked in a hushed whisper, narrowing her eyes in search of an animal that wasn't there._

"_It'd probably be gone now if there had been. No, that's just the tree I climbed as a lad… I can tell because of the carving. My first kiss was under that tree." Darcy explained, ready to move on but a kindling of jealousy had stirred within Elizabeth. It was her turn to lead Darcy as she went to the tree, quickly finding the well-worn carving in the bark of the tree's trunk about level with her chest that turned the kindling into a roaring fire. She chewed on her lower lip upon seeing the initials of "FBD" and "ABdB" encircled by a poorly drawn heart._

"_You're a smart girl, so I'm assuming you can guess whose initials those are. That was when Anne had a burning obsession with me, still too young to realize what Aunt Catty said wasn't all true. Aunt Catty thinks we'll get married one day, and she's been telling Anne that since she was a toddler, inserting her name and my own for the princess and the knight in shining armor stories. Her crush was understandable, really; she still viewed the world with rose hued glasses then and made me do it. I couldn't refuse her puppy face. After I was done and showed her, she kissed me and proceeded complained my chin was scratchy; she was ten and I sixteen. It was the Christmas right before my father died." Darcy said, smirking. Elizabeth frowned at him, wanting to, for some strange reason, give him a new kiss to remember the tree for and a new engraving to mar the rough surface._

"_Does she still believe Lady Catherine?" She asked with some venom, trying to control the little green-eyed monster trying to take over her senses. Elizabeth was also trying to convince herself she wasn't crushing on Darcy._

"_No, not anymore. After that kiss, Anne proclaimed she'd never marry me because she didn't like scratchy chins. Aunt Catty was most displeased, but Anne was adamant. No one can reason with an admittedly spoiled ten-year-old heiress." He stopped then, filling the pregnant air with his rich laughter._

"_You've nothing to worry about, love. I never liked Anne as something more than my cousin, and she's not fancied me ever since." Elizabeth turned bright red at his words, wondering if Darcy could tell she was inwardly writhing with envy._

"_I'm going to climb this tree." She said, turning her back to Darcy in hope of not letting him see her blushing, sizing the tree up. The branches extended from the trunk at a low altitude and nursed an area perfect for a foothold into the extremities that bore no leaves. Elizabeth grabbed the lowest branch and stuck her foot in the small flat area, cursing the unforgiving tightness of her jeans, almost slipping as she hefted herself up into the confines of the branches. Darcy was right below her with a concerned face, arms half-raised in the air in case she did fall._

"_Be careful, Ellie; it's going to be slippery. You might just—"_

_Elizabeth gave a startled yelp, interrupting him, as she fell the four and a half feet or so down to the earth onto her side. Instantaneously Darcy was kneeling by her side, fretting over her well being._

"_Only my ego has been bruised, Fitz, promise." Elizabeth consoled, rolling her right ankle experimentally. She'd felt it bend completely to the side before she slipped and wondered if had been sprained; as she felt little pain, she doubted it had been._

"_And your ankle?" Darcy asked, noticing the exercise and eyeing the joint closely. Because it was covered by her pants and high-top Converse, he couldn't tell if her ankle was swelling or not, but from Elizabeth's face, he could guess it wasn't._

"_Fine." Elizabeth replied, sitting up. Darcy stood then and took her hand, hauling her to her feet._

"_I'm taking you back now so nothing else can happen." He said, turning his back on her and crouching down. Elizabeth watched him curiously, walking in front of him to see what expression he held._

"_You… you're supposed to… never mind." Darcy said, face burning red. Elizabeth shrugged and laughed at him, grabbing his gloved hand and tugging softly at his arm, eyes twinkling._

"_Oh, I get it now, Fitz, but I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself." She chided, remembering the last time she'd said those words it had been scathingly meant. Darcy just shook his head, smiling faintly, nonplussed._

Elizabeth woke then with a start, sitting straight up in her bed like she'd been terrified by a nightmare, rubbing at her damp eyes. Her traitorous mind had reminded her of how sweet and awkward Darcy could be, and she was once more dumbfounded at his words in addition to his actions the night before.

"Stupid Darcy…" Elizabeth muttered crossly, drying the corners of her eyes and leaving the toasty innards of the covers. She had a shower to take and a plane to catch. As it was almost time to go back to school, Maria and Elizabeth would be taking different flights, going to Austin and Dallas, respectively. The rest of the morning was a blur as Elizabeth said her good byes, got mobile numbers, ate, and laughed at Richard's comical acts. He seemed to be anywhere Elizabeth went, making sure she never stopped smiling; for that, she was grateful and made sure he knew it.

"Anytime, lassie, anytime." He'd said, waving off her unasked questions of why he was doing so. Before she realized it, Elizabeth was sitting on the plane, this time in the window seat, waiting for take off. An elderly woman sat in the aisle seat, but no one had taken the middle seat by the time the plane was going down the runway. Once up the air and having been granted permission to use electronics by a stewardess, Elizabeth pulled her messenger bag form beneath her seat to fetch her iPod and a good book. She wasn't pleasantly surprised to see her bag was filled with a dead phone, an iPod with only a quarter of its' life left, and a few medical tomes in French along with a stark white envelope with a bright, obnoxious neon green sticky note on top of it. Elizabeth frowned, picking the questionable note off of the letter, freezing when she saw the masculine script that read her name, once having been hidden by the note. _Darcy_.

With a mighty frown, Elizabeth looked at the sticky note, wondering what it could possibly say.

"Hey, little Lizzie, sorry for the interference. I had to make sure you read Fitz's letter since I've never seen him in such a tizzy. I took the liberty of draining your phone and iPod batteries and replaced your very cute novels with whatever these textbooks are. Please don't kill me when you see me again (or Fitz – he doesn't know I did this and would throttle me if he did). Lots of love, Ritz The Shit."

Elizabeth's eye twitched when she was finished reading the note, a half-smirk forming on her lips. She was going to get Richard if she ever saw him again. Seeing no alternative to bored idleness and being interested in what Darcy would have written to her, Elizabeth opened the envelope under the prying eyes of the elderly woman.

"A love letter, eh?" She asked, wearing a wistful smile, "I wish the man in my life gave me one when we were younger. But don't mind me, sweetie, I'll be going to sleep now. I just wanted to let you know how lucky you are to have a lover in this day and age that will write you an actual love letter."

Elizabeth gave her a coy smile, waiting until the woman had actually fallen asleep to dump the envelope's contents into her lap to see just what Darcy had written. The letter was approximately three pages long, both the back and front filled with small, cramped handwriting unlike the large script on the envelope, betraying what Darcy really felt when writing the letter. Elizabeth could tell he rushed to get his thoughts down on the paper and had trouble finding the right words as she spied many scratch-outs and hesitantly started words. The header was one of the most heavily crossed out, finally beginning with:

"Dear Miss Elizabeth,

Don't fret; this isn't me rehashing what I said last night. This is just a letter I hope you'll read, eventually, explaining to you what I can't let you live thinking. It'd pain me if something happened and I left you none the wiser.

Last night, you accused me of many things. I'd like to start with my confusion about why you despise what I did for Charles and your sister. Because of this loathing, I'm sure you've been misinformed or have jumped to a wrong conclusion – that, or Charles was being Charles and left with out explaining anything to Jane because he forgot. Anyways, I didn't "break them up" for bad purposes. Charlie is always falling in and out of love, shagging one girl or another. He'd never had a relationship last for more than two or three months, but he's probably shagged every single one of his exes that he's had since he was eighteen or so.

Charlie is always a dormant bloke, easy to step on and be taken advantage of; every single on of his exes did just that. They just see dollar or pound sterling signs next to his last name. He eventually finds out or gets bored of them since he usually asks them out because he thinks they're pretty only to find out that's the only promising thing about them. With Jane, however, he was different; he fought for her. Charlie has never done that before, I assure you; he also hesitated and was exceptionally nervous about asking her out on a date, the reason they never went alone anywhere.

I was convinced, at first, Jane didn't like Charles back, but over the course of the summer I realized this to be a false notion. Along with your reaction, I know this has to be true. If you weren't around, I was able to watch Jane closely when she interacted with Charles and noticed she behaved differently. However, by then, the time to depart was nearly upon us. With my assurances that Jane fancied him, Charles was finally ready to ask her out, but I kept him from doing so. Although it's a selfish thought, I kept him from asking Jane to dinner for a date because I didn't know if he'd grow bored with her eventually and break her heart – I didn't want to be known to you as 'that arsehole's best mate' as I didn't know of your true feelings then. I thought you enjoyed our flirtatious banters, as I thought them as, like I did: exceptionally so. I've come to see this thought process was entirely wrong, but I'll move on because I said this wasn't a love letter but an explanatory one. Caroline was spewing her wretched opinion everywhere in this talk I had with Charles, so she knew we were both too deep for her to pull us out. That's why he left early with out warning; I left to get you out of my mind. Before we left, though, I proposed a challenge to Charles to see if he really did view Jane higher than any other young woman he'd dated before – I challenged him to abstain form women all together. So far, he's stuck to it, which, sadly, surprises me somewhat; not that I don't like Jane, I just never thought Charles would fight this much for a woman until he was much older and more mature. In this instance, I'm glad to be proven wrong.

I remember phrasing it to you as 'babysitting' Charles because I was technically doing just that. I don't view him as someone to be watched, but his parents had asked me to go along with him to Austin to see to it that he didn't break some poor girl's heart in the short time he was there to see if he could stand the heat. Louisa and Gerard went along for the hell of it, I suppose, but Caroline didn't go until someone let it slip I'd be there. I'm getting off track; I apologize. Now that the situation is explained, I hope you understand what I did and don't see it as a fault of mine anymore.

Since I'll save Wickham for last, I'll explain to you what you saw as disrespect for Richard and my mistake. I whole-heartedly respect Ritz because I give him the credit of saving my life; however, we act the way we do around each other because he's the older brother I've never had and I the younger one he's always wanted. His older brother, Gregory, was a big guy who played rugby and loved to pick on me since I was much smaller and younger than him; he could also get away with calling it 'cousinly teasing' instead of bullying. Ritz teamed up with me one day when he had the courage to stand up to Greggie, and we've been inseparable fools since. Our relationship is lax, based upon lighthearted, childish teasing that means nothing. Also, you accused me of letting him freeze; this isn't true. Ritz knows the city far better than I because he's got a bloody amazing memory for directions, maps, and such, but I did leave him where I knew there was a snug little 24/7 coffee shop just a few yards down the sidewalk. He also had his cell phone and the local taxi service number on it. Ritz purposely goaded me into dropping him off because it amuses him greatly to ruffle my feathers.

As for owning up to my own mistakes that cost thousands of people their jobs, I assume you meant when I switched my majors and relinquished most of my hold on the Darcy Company to Ritz. I switched my majors for two reasons: 1. I found the whole subject impeccably boring. 2. Ritz finds the whole subject fascinating for some reason. As I had found a (semi) suitable replacement for me for when I was to graduate, I let Ritz take my place even though I still own the business. He gets his own salary, and another vast portion of the money I get from the Darcy Company goes into charities for humans and animals alike and education funds. The mistake I made was actually prolonging my studies in business and not allowing the right people to take charge; in the long course, because I was being prideful and stubborn, many of people did lose their jobs because cuts had to be made. However, I was able to give them large leave pensions and hire them back once I'd opened my eyes to what I was doing; after Ritz was able to take over, even more jobs opened up because, albeit rash and rather asininely clumsy where he puts money sometimes, he is a good business man. He's expanded the business far beyond what I could ever imagine to.

Finally, I am onto the subject of George Wickham. I don't know how much you think you know or how many lies you've been fed, so I'll start at the beginning.

I've known Wickham since we were lads starting primary. His father was a kind, noble man and my own father's best friend; he was the head caretaker of Pemberley since my father neglected his duties to the estate to run the Darcy Company. I never learned his name since Mr. Wickham died under the hooves of a terrified horse when I was just seven, Wickham being eight, and unable to call him anything else lest I seem disrespectful. You could say Wickham was my first friend, but he didn't stay that was for long. Even before his father's untimely death, Wickham did normal things young boys do on accident, like breaking vases, on purpose; he always blamed the wrongdoings on me. Whenever he came up with a harebrained scheme, he somehow always got me involved and let the whole escapade rest entirely on my shoulders. My father was half and half in his decisions before Mr. Wickham died because he knew I couldn't do half the things Wickham claimed I did because I was too small. However, after Mr. Wickham died, Wickham was able to dupe my father into believing I was the misbehaving child.

After the second time of taking the blame, I didn't like nor trust Wickham anymore; my good opinion, once lost, can never be gained again. He didn't deserve another chance, either. Once we were sent to boarding school, as my father had financially adopted Wickham because his mother had never worked a day in her life, the real trouble began. Wickham started playing online poker and the like, then moving on to gambling at school with the other, older boys; he was always quick to steal my money to gamble with. Wherever I hid it in our room, as we roomed together under my father's misplaced love, Wickham always found it, so my father believe I was the one falling to the vice of gambling. After he turned sixteen, Wickham turned to girls. Because our school was an all boy's one, he tagged along with the upperclassmen he bet with when they went out for alcohol and prostitutes on the weekends and was immediately loved by the older girls because he was so young. Wickham bragged about every woman he shagged to me like I cared; I think he realized it disgusted me and boasted even more for the hell of it.

Then, suddenly, when I was sixteen and wracked with grief over Vincent Reynolds', the man whom I viewed as my second father and that had taken over Mr. Wickham's job, death, my father took his own life. Upon hearing the news, I was ready to follow in his footsteps because of the amount of self-pity and depression I felt; I was a newly orphaned boy who'd suddenly become the sole heir to Pemberley, the whole entirety of the Darcy Company, and the lone caretaker for my four-year-old sister. I wasn't thinking of Georgie the night I found out and got plastered. All I was thinking of was poisoning my liver by drinking too much alcohol and making a noose for extra measure. Thankfully, I got a call from Mrs. Margaret Reynolds, Vincent's wife, who told me Georgiana wanted her nightly bedtime story and didn't comprehend why her father couldn't give it to her. Even in my drunken haze, I was able to realize she would have no one left if I took the coward's way out like our father and smartened up. The child protection agency, however, wouldn't let Georgie stay with me even though I volunteered to go to the local high school down from Pemberley instead of the boarding school because Wickham, for some godforsaken reason, showed the school councilor the noose I'd made and some bloody videotape of me wallowing in self pity.

With that in addition to my untrue record of being a rash gambler, I can't really blame the services for taking Georgie away. The Fitzwilliams had their hands full with Greggie and Ritz, so they didn't take her in. Aunt Catty was furious with me because she blamed me for Anne's resolute refusal to even hear my name and didn't take Georgie in. Stories were passed around until Georgie was at the mercy of an orphanage where a young woman dubbed Heather Younge fostered her. She was one of Wickham's past conquests – keep that in kind for later. My Fitzwilliam grandfather, a chain smoker if you ever saw one, was able to say he'd take me in; I never saw him again after my father's funeral because he fell to lung cancer right after I turned eighteen. Death comes in threes, you know. He affected me, though, because he'd given me a pack of cigarettes at my father's funeral and told me they'd be my best friend; I started smoking not a week after that, believing him because I was lonely and had nothing else to try. I was prescribed Rohypnol for my trouble with sleeping after my father's funeral, and at first, the missing pills went unnoticed. Soon, however, I was running out of pills days, then _weeks_ before I was supposed to; I didn't know where they were going. My prescription was stopped, and I was labeled as a drug abuser. Wickham 'innocently' asked where they went one day, and I figured out where the pills went.

I thought, at first, he sold them, but I grossly underestimated him. I soon heard gossip about girls who'd been at bars with their friends one moment then woke up the next day with no recollection of their night whatsoever in a motel room rented out under the name of Oliver Smith – the combination of one of the most popular first and last names in England. They didn't report anything because it didn't matter to any of them, but I knew the affects of the drug I'd been prescribed. It doesn't add any flavor or color to drinks, so it would have been quite easy for Wickham to slip them the crushed up tablets. After he graduated from the boarding school, I no longer footed his bill. Him stealing my prescription pills to rape girls was the last straw for me. I hoped to no longer see him again after that, but the fates had decided against me.

I quit smoking and got Richard to live with me, after retiring from the army, to get Georgie back in Pemberley after I was eighteen; she was elated to see me again when I was nineteen even though I'd gone to her school, which had been suitably located near my boarding school, every day during my lunch period to check in on her. I'd knock on the window and say, "Marco?" because her favorite pool game has always been 'Marco Polo'. The first time she was so excited to see me, she screamed and ran to the window. After identifying me and seeing her reaction, Georgie's teacher always left the window open for me since she'd never seen Georgie so exultant. (1) Even when we lived together again, I made sure to continue the Marco Polo tradition with her and gathered the reputation for being her "really cool" older brother. However, I wasn't the only "really cool" older man visiting Georgie on a regular basis.

Wickham, who'd left to God knows where after he graduated at the bottom of his class because of sheer laziness, had seen Georgie and I in a passing and couldn't give up the golden ticket that was my little sister. Somehow, he'd found a regular supply of what I know has to be Rohypnol and almost "date raped" Georgie when she was just fifteen. It was in the summer when he started "dating" her under my nose; she was visiting Heather Younge (one of his old conquests, remember?) when it all happened. She knowingly let them "date" even though Wickham is almost fourteen years older than Georgie and it was against the law for them to be dating. I thank God everyday that I found them before anything exceptionally bad transpired. I wanted to surprise Georgie one day because I was missing her and found him in the middle of trying to get a severely drugged Georgie to have sex with him. He'd told her he loved her, and with the nativity of a fifteen-year-old girl being promised the world, she believed him, trusted him.

She was so terrified of me when I found her and then absolutely mortified the next day when I told her what happened. We got a restraining order on Wickham, but that was it because she was too embarrassed for anything more. If you don't believe me about any of these events, you may ask Ritz for confirmation.

I'm not happy to say this, but I believe I stopped the same thing from happening to you, Miss Elizabeth. The night we went to Bob's Bar to see The Red Coats – a band that gambles, does illegal drugs, and buys prostitutes save for Basil Forster, who was straightened out by his wife, Evie – I found you alone at the bar acting liked you were shitfaced. When I saw the drink you had, a strongly flavored blue one, and knew what company you desired, I assumed the worst and took you away right then and there. Because you couldn't remember a thing the next day, I knew my suspicions were correct. Even if Wickham wasn't using Rohypnol anymore, the Sonic Screwdriver is a drink that's already blue and has a strong fruity flavor – it's a drink you don't want to drink in questionable company, I assure you.

God bless,

Fitzwilliam Benjamin Darcy"

**A/N**: _(1) I got the idea form Bones._

_Sooo… yay long letter? :D Sorry if that bothers anyone. It's the letter that usually makes or breaks a good story for me because in just about every modern P&P fanfiction I've read, it's really short and not very explanatory at all. I'll finish the story, but I'd never consider it a favorite of mine when that happens. That's why mine is so long (though not as long as the original one in P&P, lol). Anyways, I'm surprised no one was like, "WTF? Midnight rendezvous? That didn't happen! WHERE IS IT?" when reviewing the last chappie. XD I mentioned it, but it didn't appear until now, lol. Well, whatever. Sorry for the long wait for this chappie, and I apologize for the spelling/grammar mistakes I know probably litter this chapter. I'm posting this with out going over half of the chapter to make sure it gets posted before another long period of homework falls upon me._

**Edit**_: Why hello thar… again. Yeah, reread my chapter and saw I made a dumbass mistake: I forgot a key point in the letter (which has been added right before the Wickham blurb). So, longer is has become! xD Also, I'm just not getting to realize, y'all might have to wait for chapter 12 until after 2012 comes 'round, depending on how much cramming I'll do for finals and when I go to my relatives' (they have a really crappy computer and I've no clue if it's got a USB port or not. O.o" Either way, I'd get yelled at for spending too much time on the computer, so, yeah.) Sorry guys!_

_~ Tobi_


	12. Elephants, Oh My

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Fanfiction - a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator.  
><strong>Songs<strong>: Who I Am Hates Who I've Been by Relient K.  
><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
>Harriate Slate<span>: For real? Thank you! True, John Smith would be more common and completely fake, but Oliver was once the most popular name in England once. Besides, I think I used the name John once already… :P  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you. :D I know; it gets very annoying that every just outlines it and has the same story. Well, here on , anyways.  
><span>xxPrideandPrejudicexx<span>: Love the username. ;) Actually, chapter 10 was longer by at least 1000 words. Ah, don't apologize, it's quite all right – yes, they are. Thank you for the review and favorite.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Not at all. Thank you. :) Oh, yeah, she's going to be berating herself.  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Amandald98 = aka calf? Wut, lol. Thank you. :) And you thought Ritz was horrible (before, I mean)? Why/how?  
><span>xXAustenGirlXx<span>: Thank you. :D

**- Elephants, Oh My -**

Elizabeth just stared, and stared, and stared. Time seemed to be going in slow motion as she read the letter once, twice, thrice more, taking in his words, ink blots, and scratch-outs with the haste of a starved animal presented a free meal. At first, she was in angered denial, not really processing all of what Darcy said and didn't say, trying to coherently process everything with a rational mind. Memories filmed before her mind's eye like a bad movie, sketchy and fogged by a prejudice she hadn't realized she'd had.

How many times had Darcy been uncouth? How many times had he been understanding? How many things had he done to her? How many things had he done _for_ her? How? How? How?

… Why?

Elizabeth viewed the letter in confusion, her original negative thoughts of the whole thing being an elaborate story made up by Darcy for some sick, twisted reason melting into her current state of unrest. He had no reason, at all, to compile all this and tell her because they weren't guaranteed to see each other ever again. Why had he written it if she was just a passing fancy? Obviously, the letter held very intimate details of his life he didn't want leaking, but why write it?

She analyzed the letter paragraph by paragraph, much like an English teacher going over the essays of their students, trying to see if she could understand him. Elizabeth didn't want to completely believe his tale about Charles and Jane, but it was too… _absurd_ to be made up. Certainly, if he really wanted to trick her, this was his best option, but Darcy had yet to actually _lie_ to her. The one thing that had stayed constant through his seemingly split personality was that he was always telling the truth, never lying. He might have hidden it once from her, but his soul was bare now, belly up and quivering in fear of a fatal blow. The pompous pride Elizabeth had once viewed in Darcy was gone now, replaced by the image of a man who knew nothing but the pain of being hurt and defending his heart since then again. From his words about women only seeing money symbols by Charles' name, she could only imagine what they saw when Darcy was present. Did they see the man he was or just his last name? He had to be wealthy, too, if his aunt owned the five-star Rosings Hotel chain; she made a mental note to Google Darcy's name and see what she found.

Elizabeth could easily believe Darcy's bit on Richard since her original accusation was flimsy and just said in the heat of the moment of her trying to find anything and everything wrong with him. His words made her want to see pictures of when he was young and happy, before the whole mess revolving around Wickham and his parents' and Vincent Reynolds' deaths happened. It was no reason to act like he did, but under the circumstances, Darcy had never seemed so much like his Aunt Catherine to Elizabeth as he did now from his description of her. Darcy's retelling of the events was eerily similar to Wickham's; in fact, it was exactly the same with switched roles. However, Wickham had told her and welcomed the pity he got for it while Darcy viewed it with shame and shunned the whole episode. If he'd wanted pity, he could have told anyone he wanted and gotten everything in return. When Elizabeth thought back on it, telling a severely private affair like this wasn't something you told someone on your first coffee date – it was more like something you told someone after you've been friends with them for years or had been dating them for months and were quite serious. Darcy's story was more informative, coupling the beginning and end of the sad tale instead of just giving the middle.

"_George Wickham? Should be Dick Dickam."_

The words Mark had said after seeing Wickham seemed to crow incessantly in Elizabeth's mind when she remembered the poor impression Mark had of Wickham. She had told him, politely in different words, to fuck off, but now realized what Mark had said was entirely correct. Wickham's name would be appropriate if it was "Dick 'Sleaze Ball Extraordinaire' Dickam."

Elizabeth could easily accept Darcy's explanation of what happened in the Darcy Company as the truth. He didn't avoid or beat about the bush; he told her straight up that he'd messed up and also fixed it the best he could. Suddenly, she felt like a barrel of cold water was dumped on her; Elizabeth had thrown all his pain, all his misery, all his guilt back in his face with the wool drawn over her eyes because of a jealous witch and sore loser of a ninny… right after he (very sloppily) confessed to her. What had she been thinking?

She had been thinking of all the lies, all the prejudice, all the ire stemming from his terrible confession. Elizabeth had been completely in her right to reject him, but she was definitely in the wrong to throw the things she did at him. However, had she not… Elizabeth groaned, leaning back in the chair, trying to figure out what sort of disarray she'd gotten herself into. She'd rejected a man she fancied based off of her own insecurities and the falsehood she was fed, and now he'd told her the truth, making her feel like a total and complete bitch. In all their acquaintance, he'd only been consciously rude once. _Once_! And she believed him capable of all the bullshit Wickham had told her?

When Elizabeth started thinking back to every encounter with Darcy she'd had, he'd only been quiet and cold when Caroline was within the same room; with the exception of his initial remark of her being sloshed, he'd never made any mean comments toward her. Always, Darcy had been accommodating and caring (or indifferent, in the beginning), looking out for her when even she herself wasn't.

"Dar—Fitz, why must you be so reserved… and me, why must you be so biased?" Elizabeth whispered to herself, turning her face to the window but not really seeing anything, memories clouding her vision. For the duration of her flight and car ride back to her apartment, Elizabeth wallowed in self-pity and loathing, trying to come up with a solution that wasn't to be found. Finally, the puzzle had all the correct pieces, but it was showing and image Elizabeth didn't want to see. It was Darcy with another woman. It was Wickham drugging her and having his way that night. It was little Georgiana, orphaned and abandoned by her family save for her brother and one older cousin, believing in the first love she'd been given since. It was Charles, breaking her sister's heart. It was herself, wallowing in self-pity and disdain.

"How was the trip, Lizzie? Did you see snow? How was Char? And Maria, was she well?" A cheerful Jane greeted Elizabeth once she'd locked the door behind her, all smiles; she was quite surprised upon seeing how ill Elizabeth looked.

"Lizzie, are you all right? Do you feel well? Do you need something, anything at all?"

Elizabeth looked at Jane, her face furrowed with alarm, and something finally snapped. She was _not_ the type of woman to drown in her sorrows after a man who hadn't actually broken her heart!

… But she would allow herself the rest of the day for some good self-indulgence.

"I'm actually not feeling that great, Jane. I think I'll go to bed with some ice cream." Elizabeth said, dropping her bags listlessly into her room before grabbing the carton of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice cream from the freezer and retreating to the confines of her duvet with a spoon, a flashlight, and Darcy's letter.

- (Crappy break line) -

With the new year in progress and a fresh semester, Elizabeth was finally able to see The Running Man in the mornings. Her class times had changed, and she'd decided to try her hand at a morning jog because of it. Her fellow classmates at the Dallas branch of UT had spotted him on the University Trail for the past year or so, whispering about how no one knew his name or where he came from, and word of how handsome and tall he was spread. Elizabeth first caught site of him on the first Thursday she went on a morning jog; she didn't catch sight of anything but his back, broad shoulders, and the back of his head that was covered by a navy hood. He resembled Darcy too much, even from the rear, for her to continue jogging at the same time in the mornings; he made her dwell too much on those depressing thoughts of what she'd had but didn't really ever have. With Dallas tainted with thoughts of Darcy, Elizabeth was soon counting down the days until spring break where she could really let go of it all with her Aunt Maddie, Uncle Ed, and their children: a set of quadruplets, two girls and two boys.

The day she saw The Running Man reminded Elizabeth to Google how much Darcy was worth, and the number of zeros and commas made her head spin. Her jaw dropped when she compared his wealth to Charles', and Elizabeth's initial musings over what women did when they were presented with Darcy was made worse by tenfold. Whatever vain women did with Charles had to be nothing compared to what they did with Darcy as he had twice at much at the very least. Jane caught Elizabeth when she was Googling their names but didn't tell her, trying to figure out why Elizabeth had been acting strangely ever since her trip to New York; all Elizabeth had told Jane was, "Will Darcy was there - Lady Catherine is his aunt." For the first time in Elizabeth's life and the second in Jane's, the girls weren't opening up to each other about their secrets, keeping all emotions bottled up, trying not to implode.

Spring break was a welcomed escape from the charged atmosphere around their apartment; Elizabeth was going to England while Jane was going back home to keep a watchful eye on Lydia and Kitty. Jane dropped Elizabeth off at the airport before she drove home, and Elizabeth couldn't help but be mollified by the long, arduous trip across the Atlantic. In a semi-awake haze she managed to find her luggage claim section, and therefore her luggage, in addition to the exit her family was waiting at. With their easily excitable quadruplets, Madeline and Edmund Gardiner didn't want to take their kids any further inside the building. The sight that greeted Elizabeth's tired eyes was her Aunt Maddie holding back Oliver, or "Little Ollie", and Samantha while her Uncle Ed had a firm grasp on Grayson and Brooke.

"LIZZIE!" All the quadruplets screamed at once, easily breaking free form their parents' grasps and tackling Elizabeth to the ground under four warm, giggling eight-year-old bodies.

"You lot, off 'Lizabeth, now! And apologize!" Edmund admonished loudly, picking his offspring off of his niece while Madeline pulled Elizabeth to her feet once she was free, dusting off her back and bum.

"Sorry, sweetheart; we should have kept a better hold on the little ones." Madeline apologized, wearing a demure smile.

"As long as I can plot my revenge in a warm bed and enact it on them once I've come to terms with the time zone change, it's no problem at all." Elizabeth laughed, gathering her fallen bags and following her relatives to their mini-van where she was only happy to oblige her younger cousins and sit squished between Samantha and Brooke in the last row of seats back to the Gardiner's abode. The plan was to get Madeline's friend and her daughter to watch the quadruplets while Madeline and Edmund took Elizabeth around the English countryside. Between Samantha and Brooke's constant chatter and the fog that had settled in her mind thanks to the early-morning flight and time zone change, Elizabeth wasn't able to discern what her aunt and uncle were saying during the trip. She only made affirmative noises, trusting them to know best, not arguing; Elizabeth probably would have objected to their first stop had she been paying attention. Even if Darcy wasn't home, Elizabeth would want to avoid Pemberley at all costs, just in case.

- (Crappy break line) -

"Pe-_Pemberley_?"

Orange juice got sprayed across onto the unsuspecting faces of the quadruplets; at once, they all started complaining vociferously. Elizabeth forgot to even apologize to them, much less try to clean them up, as she stared at her aunt in utter and complete shock at the revelation of where their first destination was.

"Yes, sweetheart, you said you wanted to visit Pemberley yesterday when we picked you up. I'm sorry, but we – your uncle and I – ordered a tour there today, and we'd rather not waste money if you've changed your mind. Also, since I grew up there, I'd rather not appear rude to poor Mrs. Reynolds – she's such a dear. I haven't seen her since I was leaving for Uni." Madeline said, frowning, grabbing a washcloth and putting it under the warm water faucet and motioning for her kids to come over to her. Ollie and Grayson were uncharacteristically chivalrous and let Samantha and Brooke get cleaned up first.

"But… but… but… _Will Darcy_ lives there." Elizabeth squeaked, horrified and blushing at the same time. Darcy couldn't like her anymore, not after what she'd said in her ignorance, and she loathed facing him when she was hung up on him while he'd moved on from whatever he'd felt towards her.

"And? What reason is that? Maybe he's the British lad you've always wanted." Edmund, who entered the kitchen because of the commotion his brood had made, teased, winking at the end. Elizabeth blanched at his words, feeling a chill come over her body; Edmund couldn't know, could he? It was impossible; she hadn't told anyone, not even Jane!

"He's, um… he's _filthy_ rich. We can't see his home." Elizabeth attempted to get out of seeing Pemberley but to no avail.

"'Lizabeth, have you not had enough sleep or have you become a snob? Are you feeling unwell? All of the properties we're taking you to for tours are owned by '_filthy_ rich', as you put it, people. Darcy is probably the youngest, but that's about it." Edmund chortled, even going over to Elizabeth, whom was sitting at his dining table with a half-empty glass of orange juice (the other half had been expelled onto the quadruplets) and a bowl of now-soggy cereal, to press his hand against her forehead. Elizabeth pushed his hand away, groaning as she recognized her defeat.

"Sweetheart, is there something the matter with visiting Pemberley? If it's Darcy, he probably won't be home since Georgiana is studying abroad." Madeline asked in genuine concern, pausing in cleaning Grayson's face.

"No, nothing at all, Aunt Maddie. I just… I just, um, know… never mind." Elizabeth shook her head quickly, not wanting to go into the whole story, which was bound to come up if she said she knew Darcy, with her relatives. Madeline, for sure, would behave like Jane would if she found out, Edmund would… do something (whether it was laugh or want to sock Darcy, Elizabeth wasn't sure – maybe both?), and the quadruplets certainly would want to meet Darcy. However much she wanted to hide her history with Darcy, it was written all over Elizabeth's face for her aunt's keen eyes; Madeline knew Elizabeth, from the sheepish expression she was wearing and slight blush that colored her cheeks, had more to say than she really was, but, as this was the first time she'd seen Elizabeth like this, Madeline was only a wee bit guilty for letting things play out and pretending she didn't notice anything out of the norm.

Before too long (way too soon for Elizabeth), Edmund was driving his minivan to Derbyshire where Pemberley resided. He and Madeline filled Elizabeth in about the scenery that passed by, but their words of wisdom fell onto deaf ears because all Elizabeth was thinking about was _Darcy_ and the chance of running into him, _Darcy_ and his letter, _Darcy_ and his tender behavior towards her, _Darcy_ and his rare dimpled smile, _Darcy_ and his shoddy confession to something, _Darcy_ and his overtly awkward and wall flower attitude, _Darcy_ and his lovely locks_, Darcy, Darcy, Darcy._

Elizabeth nearly groaned aloud when her aunt announced their arrival onto the Pemberley property as her uncle turned onto the longest dirt driveway (or maybe it was a street? Elizabeth wasn't sure) she'd ever seen surrounded by lush plant life ranging from the gorgeous emerald grass to the evergreen leaves adorning the branches of sturdy, decades old trees. Surely, from what was going past the car windows already, Pemberley would be just as great; otherwise, it wouldn't be fitting. In between the tree trunks, workers were about, trimming the tree branches if they got too long or died during the winter, some horses following them with baskets strapped to their backs. One worker with dangerously familiar black curls and his shirt plastered to his broad shoulders and back, the view Elizabeth had of him, had an elderly looking white and gray dappled gelding standing next to him with a saddle strapped around its' middle and only one basket on its' side. Elizabeth yelped when he turned as the minivan passed, not wanting to see his face lest she be jinxed even more, pressing her back firmly into her seat in vain hope she'd be hidden from the worker's eyes.

"Catch sight of a nice English lad, eh, amongst those workers? They're paid very well, you know, so you wouldn't have to worry about anything. Besides, I heard the Darcy fellow helps out when one of his workers or tenants is in financial need." Edmund jested, glancing at Elizabeth in his rearview mirror. She gave him a half-hearted smile, face ablaze, and continued to look forward the rest of the way to Pemberley's circle drive. Elizabeth, while doing this, missed the opening in the vivid plant life where one could see a fraction of the great pond, filled with fish of many variety, and the road that branched off the main route to Pemberley that led to the farms and houses owned by the tenants.

"It hasn't changed much at all." Madeline said as the _monstrosity_ of a house came into view; Elizabeth's jaw dropped open slowly as the gorgeous building came into her line of sight. The lane leading up to the house came in from an angle, almost form the side, giving anyone coming up to it a generous view of how large it really was; there were three stories with windows and three rows of windows lining the width of the rectangular place. Pemberley was made up of various shades of gray and white stone weathered by age and adorned with a variety of moss and vines, and a circular drive sat in front of the impressive steps leading to the equally magnificent set of front doors that were a deep burgundy. More workers were about the front of the house, trimming down the bushes beneath the first story windows and shaping the others in the middle of the circular driveway, and a woman Elizabeth originally overlooked was coming down the stairs, her skirts hiked up in her hands and a pleasant look about her person.

"Mrs. Reynolds! Where should we put this hunk-a-junk?" Madeline called as soon as she got her window rolled down, positively beaming at the elderly woman. Upon closer inspection, Elizabeth saw she had laughter lines around her kind chocolate eyes and mouth, and the severe bun of salt and pepper hair wasn't as harsh as it appeared to be as there were quite a few flyaway hairs. Mrs. Reynolds wasn't a toothpick, but she did seem like the type of woman to be blown away under a heavy wind. Elizabeth would soon learn beneath the dress and sweater Mrs. Reynolds was not as she appeared to be, all wiry muscles from raising a boy and a rambunctious girl and being the head of Pemberley's affairs with a stubborn head atop her petite shoulders.

"Ah, Mrs. Gardiner, so good to see you again, dear! I'll have Lorcan park your car in the garage." Mrs. Reynolds said after reaching the car and grasping Madeline's hand through the window. Madeline's grin curled wider, giving the wizened hand a squeeze; Mrs. Reynolds pulled her hands gently from Madeline's and turned around, cupping them around her mouth, and giving a shout that looked impossible for her small stature.

"Lorcan! Lorcan! Come here, you daft lad! _LORCAN_!"

Elizabeth made sure to close her mouth before climbing out of the van while a young boy around sixteen scrambled from the house, tripping on the second to last step. Freckles dotted his pale face beneath a shock of red hair, and a pair of square glasses nearly hid his sapphire eyes.

"Yes, miss?" Lorcan said, voice heavy with an Irish accent, once he'd gotten back up and dusted off his trousers, nervously starting forward. He was at least a good six feet tall, but he didn't appear his height because he was as skinny as a rail and hunched his shoulders inward.

"You know how to drive, don't you? Go ahead and park this van in the garage for the Gardiners before going back to cleaning." Mrs. Reynolds ordered, brushing his shoulders in a motherly fashion to free them of any stray dirt from the driveway. Lorcan nodded, tipping an imaginary hat to Elizabeth and Madeline, after she'd gotten out, before taking the drivers seat. Once the van and Lorcan were gone, Madeline enveloped Mrs. Reynolds into a tight hug.

"I haven't seen you since I was still babysitting little Georgie and little Darcy, Mrs. Reynolds! How have you and the family been? I'm sorry about Mr. Darcy; if I hadn't been studying at Uni at the time and unable to escape, I would've gone to his funeral." Madeline gushed once the women separated, her smile now nostalgic and cheerless. Elizabeth wondered if her aunt knew how ironic it was to call Darcy little now.

"Little Fitz isn't so small anymore, Mrs. Gardiner; I'm sure you saw him when he was on the news a few years back? In fact, I do believe I have a picture of him with Vincent and his father… come, follow me." Mrs. Reynolds said, smiling warmly, pulling up her skirts again and ascending up the stairs in a swift manner that suggested she'd been doing it for years. Madeline grabbed Edmund's hand and followed the elderly woman, causing Elizabeth to rush up the stairs and stop in her incessant staring; Mrs. Reynolds bypassed the imposing foyer entirely, with its checkerboard tiled flooring and high mural-painted ceiling, leading the trio down a hall with many closed burgundy doors with gold accents until she stopped at a pair of doors.

"Instead of ending the tour here, I'll start it here for you. I'm sure Little Fitz wouldn't mind at all. Oh, I never caught your name, Miss…" Mrs. Reynolds trailed off, gaze locked on Elizabeth. She knew the young woman was too old to be a Gardiner child in addition to the fact that Darcy was fixed on a small brunette around Mrs. Reynolds' own height. With the young woman stopping just short of Mrs. Reynolds' little stature and having wavy, somewhat curly brown hair, she could only hope for the coincidence of all coincidences.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm Elizabeth Bennet, but you can call me Lizzie if you'd like." Elizabeth replied, noticing the way Mrs. Reynolds' countenance changed after she spoke. She wondered if Darcy had told her anything – bad, good, or anything at all?

"Mrs. Gardiner's niece, I presume, Miss Lizzie?" Mrs. Reynolds asked, a wry smile forming on her lips. Elizabeth nodded before Mrs. Reynolds opened the double doors, ushering the trio into a room filled with pictures starting back from oil portraits from the 1700s or so, ending with a blown up picture of a family of three. Elizabeth blanched upon seeing it. The man looked strikingly similar to Darcy, but his eyes were blue and his hair was brown, meaning it must me the late Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Darcy and that the little boy between them was Darcy. The young Darcy pictured was as skinny as a rake and as pale as snow, a golden halo of curls sweeping low over the silver eyes she recognized well; he didn't look too happy but was smiling nonetheless. The woman whom must have been his mother had gorgeous brown locks falling down to the middle of her back, her eyes the same color as Darcy's; her smile was genuine and looked identical to Darcy's dimpled smile. If Georgiana's hair was the same shade, the woman could have passed for Georgiana's older sister.

"He looks so different…" Elizabeth found herself murmuring, confirming Mrs. Reynolds' suspicions and hopes.

"Little Fitz was four then, before little Georgie was born. Do you know Little Fitz, Miss Lizzie?" Mrs. Reynolds asked, heading towards the small bookshelf filled with thick volumes right beneath the picture of the Darcy family. She thumbed along the spines before pulling one out, flipping through its' contents.

"I, um… only a little." Elizabeth answered softly, casting a nervous glance at her aunt and uncle. Madeline, she knew, had picked up on what wasn't said while Edmund was probably trying to figure out why she'd been so against coming to Pemberley still.

"You would recognize him like this, would you not?" Mrs. Reynolds inquired, walking to Elizabeth's side and pointing at a picture within the book Elizabeth now realized was a scrapbook of sorts. The picture was of a solemn Darcy, eyes downcast, clad in all black with the people around him wearing similar expressions and clothes. It had to be a picture of him at someone's funeral – Vincent Reynolds' or his father's, Elizabeth guessed. His face was still young, but the foundations for his older face were there as a shadow of stubble dashing across his upper lip and jaw, the long sideburns she knew him to have were barely there. Darcy's eyes were also devoid of their underlying bags, but his suit seemed to hang off him broad shoulders, giving her the impression he was still as thin as the boy in the family portrait.

"Somewhat, yes. He's a bit young in this picture." Elizabeth observed, keeping the more intimate details to herself to not tip off her uncle of what was going on; with Madeline (and probably Mrs. Reynolds, as well) knowing, it was already bad enough.

"Ah, of course. He's just past sixteen here, before he started working seriously around the property; already, though, he'd grown taller than his father. It was so amusing seeing a skinny lad like him suddenly sprout up a good thirty centimeters in one year. (1)" Mrs. Reynolds reminisced, fingering the later pages in the scrapbook. They contained the pictures of a sad young man, nothing like the sunny blond boy from before his mother's untimely death. With a slight frown, she flipped to a few pages before the funeral picture of one with her husband, Vincent, and Mr. Darcy with Darcy standing between the two of them when he was almost fifteen, the first signs of facial hair present on his chin and his hair a deep chocolate brown with even darker roots. As the years had progressed, Darcy's hair had gone from a platinum blond to the black it was, just like Georgiana's hair was doing, only in a slower fashion.

"Mrs. Gardiner, this is the picture I wished to show you." Mrs. Reynolds handed the book to Madeline, pointing down at the specific picture. Madeline's eyebrows shot up as she viewed the picture with Elizabeth hovering by her elbow with a feigned air of indifference. Mr. Darcy was, indeed, just a hair shorter than Darcy already; however, the top of Darcy's head barely reached the lips of the man Elizabeth knew had to be Vincent Reynolds. Vincent Reynolds was, in all aspects, a manly man: his hair was unruly, held back in a bushy ponytail, his biceps seemed to be as thick as his skull, plus his chest was broad and strong, the hairs that covered it peeking out over his flannel shirt where the top two buttons were undone in addition to what Elizabeth assumed was a height of about 6'6. Despite Vincent's burly appearance, his face was lit up with a gentle, ear-to-ear smile that was reflected in his deep brown eyes.

"I'd forgotten how tall Mr. Reynolds was… such a nice bloke, too." Madeline mused, fingers caressing the images of the past, eyes mirroring her solemn mood upon seeing the faces she'd nearly forgotten over time. Elizabeth looked up from the picture to see Mrs. Reynolds wiping away a stray tear and decided not to speak of it, giving the old woman a reassuring smile.

"I've grown a bit since then, too."

Elizabeth jumped along with her relatives and Mrs. Reynolds; although, she was the only one whose face colored. There in the doorway stood the man of her dreams, a towel slung over his shoulder as he was done towel-drying his hair, in a long-sleeved black turtleneck with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, jeans, and socks.

"Little Fitz, I've told you not to do that!" Mrs. Reynolds admonished, hand over her breast as if to still her swiftly beating heart at his sudden, silent appearance.

"That you have, Mrs. R, that you have." Despite his words being directed at someone else, Darcy wouldn't take his eyes off of Elizabeth. He just _couldn't_. She was blushing becomingly, and he hadn't seen her since his fucked up confession. It was a miracle to Darcy that Elizabeth wasn't slapping him in the face. In Elizabeth's mind, things were quite a bit more jumbled up and frantic, things along the lines of, "_Don't hide. Don't run. Don't hide. Don't speak. Don't hide. Don't run._" streaming in her mind to go with her deer-in-headlights look.

"It's been a while… Miss Elizabeth." Darcy said quietly, wondering if he should speak to her at all. In his mind, he had no right to after his revolting behavior from New Year's Eve.

"I, um… er, yeah…" Elizabeth mumbled, going redder, internally berating herself for starting a sentence with, "I, um…" again. Under his heavy gaze, she felt the interminable need to apologize for the accusations she'd unjustly placed against him.

"Little Darcy, how about you show Lizzie the inside of your lovely house while Mrs. Reynolds shows Edmund and I the changes to the outside gardens and such, okay?" Madeline suggested with a wicked grin, grabbing her husband's wrist tightly within her hand, after giving Elizabeth the scrapbook, proceeding to drag him out of the picture room before anyone could get a word in edgewise.

"That would be adequate. Little Fitz, if you need anything, don't be afraid to call for me." Mrs. Reynolds agreed with Madeline, patting Darcy's shoulder as she passed; although she didn't agree with Madeline's scheming way of going about the business, there was an elephant in the room she'd much rather let out instead of house.

"I apologize regarding Mrs. Reynolds' behavior." Darcy said just as Elizabeth was saying, "I'm sorry about my aunt." Darcy cracked a little smile, a half-hearted laugh escaping his lips, at the moment; Elizabeth only turned redder, turning her attention from him to the scrapbook now in her grasp. He watched her bite her lower lip nervously in addition to her fingers twiddling with the edges of the pages, wondering if Elizabeth was uncomfortable in his presence; Darcy had vowed to himself not to read anything but the obvious from Elizabeth from his past mistake of seeing… _dreaming_ too much.

"You were a, um, a cute kid…" Elizabeth let her voice die, questioning what she should call him: Darcy or Fitz? She wouldn't look up at him, thinking he now held her in contempt for throwing such asinine and _wrong_ words in his face, his calling her "Miss Elizabeth" only reassuring her thoughts; it almost gave her a sense of déjà vu.

"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth." Darcy smiled softly, taking the scrapbook from her hands and flipping through it for a second before turning to the shelf to return it to its place on the shelf.

"My mother…" He started to say, turning back around to face her, before Elizabeth spoke up in a rushed, high-pitched tone he recognized as her apologizing voice.

"I – _I'm sorry_. I'm so, so sorry for… for everything I said, everything I threw at you. It wasn't right; it was very ignorant of me. I was wrong, I—"

"Miss Elizabeth – Ellie, please, desist from this. Just stop, take a deep breath, and calm down." Darcy instructed, placing his hands gently on Elizabeth's shoulders.

"Take a deep breath… and just calm down… don't say anything, just breathe."

Elizabeth followed his lead even when she felt her apology, although frantic sounding, had order and needed to be finished. When she was sufficiently tranquil, Darcy gave her a reassuring half-smile.

"There, better now?" He paused, waiting for Elizabeth to nod before plowing on, ignoring the miffed glare he got for interrupting her apology again, "Good. Now, listen to me: there's nothing for you to apologize for. I was being – how did you put it? A 'boorish brute that always got his way'? Truly, I was acting nothing more than the arrogant, spoilt brat you saw me as. I told you that I didn't know what I felt for you after stating you weren't – I'm not going to rehash that because it's beside the point. I treated you no better than a master would treat a slave, expecting what I wanted from you would happen, and I must apologize for that. I had no reason to judge you or your family, especially not while I was trying to ask you out for dinner. You are not at fault; your apology in unfounded. You have _nothing_ to apologize for. Now, will you allow me to make it up to you?"

Elizabeth had a response ready that he was wrong and she was right, but his last question made her pause, ready-made rebuke dissipating into nothingness. Her heart soared in dark, dangerous skies as she tried to imagine what Darcy would do 'to make it up to' her.

"Make it up to me? Look, Darcy, you weren't even – I'm the one who needs to apologize and make amends…" Elizabeth stopped, glaring at Darcy. Her words were falling upon deaf ears, and he was making sure she knew it.

"Stop being an ass and _listen_ when I'm trying to apologize, old fart. Maybe I just shouldn't next time—"

"Exactly. No apologies are needed from you. Come on, let's go find your aunt and uncle; I've an idea." Darcy interrupted her, steamrolling on with his plan. His mother always taught him to clean up his own messes by himself, and he'd be damned if the biggest mess he'd ever made would go unclean. Darcy had screwed up and had to rectify it. Flashing Elizabeth a glimpse of his dimpled grin, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the picture room.

"What – Darcy – Fitz – stop and explain what you're doing!" Elizabeth snapped, getting vexed by the headstrong behavior Darcy was showcasing, jerking her arm wildly to try and get him to let go.

"Look, M – Ellie, for my peace of mind, go along with this. I made a mistake, so I'm fixing it, just like my mother taught me. Even though you may feel like you were in the wrong when our… on New Year's Eve, you weren't. All your words… even though you believed the mendacity of others, your other accusations were sound. I said things I shouldn't have, I acted quite poorly in the presence of others – yes, it's in my recluse nature, but there were times I could have been more welcoming, I gave you no impression other than what you had, and I did separate your sister and Charlie when I maybe shouldn't have. That Wickham and Caroline – she did trick you, didn't she? – were able to add to your already-formed opinion to shape me into something even more ugly was only by chance. Had I given a better picture of myself to you, you would not have believed them or investigated instead of trusting them implicitly." Darcy said, looking over his shoulder at Elizabeth. From the tautness of his shoulders and the severity of his words, Elizabeth found herself nodding; if he wouldn't accept an apology he thought unfounded, she wouldn't give it even though in the back of her mind, she felt it was unjust of her to dredge up all those unpleasant memories.

"Now, we're going to find where Mrs. R took your relatives, lie that I showed you the library – which I will, I assure you, at a later date – and see if you can have lunch here." Darcy knew he had to take it slow, but he'd already crossed the Rubicon. Besides, this was the coincidence of coincidences; he'd be mental to let it go or to barely prod at it.

"L-lunch? I don't think—" Elizabeth stopped, chewing on her lower lip as Darcy pulled gently on her wrist, making her follow him still despite her misgivings. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him again, but her aunt and uncle were there and everything was so awkward… she'd just rather meet up on a later date.

"I've heard this in America and I'm not sure if it can be said to a girl, but, Ellie, grow a pair. Throw caution in the wind and live some might be a better analogy for you, actually. What harm could lunch cause?" Darcy asked, mentally chastising himself for being too forward. Lunch could cause many problems (and he'd probably just jinxed it to where they _did_ happen).

"You've met my mother – Uncle Ed is her little brother. He's a closet gossip. I don't know why he and Aunt Maddie were allowed to procreate their little monsters." Elizabeth grumbled, a deadpan expression on her face; Darcy didn't see it but still chuckled at the thought. The information slid off him like water off a duck's back; in spite of his words about Mrs. Bennet, he could stand her, at least. The rest of the time spent looking for Mrs. Reynolds, Edmund, and Madeline was filled with Elizabeth trying to get out of lunch and Darcy negating her silly theories ("Uncle Ed will eat you alive!","Ellie, cannibalism in frowned upon in the part of the world, and Mrs. R definitely wouldn't put me on the menu even if it were.").

"Mrs. R, please set places for Ellie plus Mr. and Mrs. Uncle Ed—"

"Gardiner." Elizabeth correctly glumly, knowing her aunt and uncle would agree as soon as Darcy finished.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner when you make lunch, if they'll agree to staying." Darcy finished amidst the smirks and little snorts that hid laughter from the Gardiners, giving them a winning smile, ignoring Elizabeth shaking her head furiously and making a slicing motion over her throat.

"We'd love to, thank you, Darcy." Madeline enthused, also ignoring Elizabeth; Edmund's face erupted in a feral grin much like the one his sister wore when she found out a particularly good piece of gossip and thought no one was watching.

"It'd be my pleasure to, Little Fitz. Would you like to finish—"

"I apologize, but I'd like to actually shower right now instead of just washing my head. I'd rather not give Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner the impression that I don't have any personal hygiene." Darcy interrupted, releasing Elizabeth's wrist to rub the back of his head sheepishly, surprising Mrs. Reynolds; she hadn't seen him do that in a long time, adopting to run his fingers through his hair instead most of the time.

"Very well, Little Fitz. Off you go, then." Mrs. Reynolds shooed him off before reciting the rehearsed lines about Pemberley for her tour guests. Only Edmund was listening with rapt attention; Madeline was busy interrogating Elizabeth.

"Lizzie, why didn't you want to come here, again?"

"Darcy is… is… a jerk face and an old, conniving fart." Elizabeth pouted, in full sulk mode, glaring petulantly at the ground beneath her feet.

"And _how_ is this bad when he's trying to charm you? That man is—"

"Gorgeous? I've been told, by Charlotte. _Many_ times. And Aunt Maddie, he can't… not again…" She interrupted her aunt, looking up at the house-mansion they were circling. It was no wonder Darcy sounded so prideful when he spoke of it; who _wouldn't_ be proud of managing a stunning house like Pemberley? Elizabeth's cheeks burned as she thought of her past notions of his pride; so far, anything she'd thought was conceit was just genuine pride at something magnificent. Pemberley, Georgiana, picking his life up… she'd mentally condemned him for something she shouldn't have.

"_Again_?" Madeline sputtered in disbelief, eyes wide open. Even though she was married and a few years older than Darcy, she had eyes; there was no denying Darcy was quite a looker and, at the least, attracted to Elizabeth and she was to him.

"Mmhmm. Again. I'll rehash it for you later." Elizabeth hummed dejectedly, not expecting the jarring punch she got to the bicep.

"Ow! What the hell, Aunt Maddie!" She exclaimed, rubbing her bruised arm with a fierce scowl. Edmund and Mrs. Reynolds, who'd started to get ahead of Madeline and Elizabeth, stopped and looked back at them; Madeline assured them was nothing wrong and dragged Elizabeth the few yards to catch up with them.

"That was for trying to avoid this once in a life time chance, Elizabeth Josephine Bennet. I've known you for many years, but I've never seen you back away from a fight. Don't you _dare_ start now, not when that man is blatantly head over heels for you. I won't let you slip away from him, missy; I can read you like a book." Madeline hissed in Elizabeth's ear, keeping her voice low so Edmund and Mrs. Reynolds couldn't overhear her. Her words made Elizabeth stop in shock.

"He's…"

"Very much in love with you, Lizzie. Anyone can see that. If you need proof, he didn't even remember me, his old babysitter and politely ask if I wanted to catch up over lunch. No, he only asked because we're here with you after he talked to you." Madeline sighed softly, giving Elizabeth's sleeve a light tug to get her walking again.

"He's…" _very much in love with her?_

**A/N**: _(1) That's a foot (technically, 30.48 cm is a foot, but… yeah)._

_So, it's a wee bit shorter than normal (way shorter compared to the past two chapters)… but it's before 2012. xD And, um, yeah. I probably should be studying for my PAP World History Final tomorrow… but… ah well. That's all I've been doing lately. Y'know, I'm probably gonna get chapter 13 out before 2012, too, since we've got half days now for Finals. C:_

_~ Tobi_


	13. Home Is Where the Heart Is

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
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><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
>.snow0<span>: Thank you. :)  
><span>x19x<span>: Thank you. Really? I've been told the US is just about the only country that uses feet/inches etc. Thanks for correcting me. :3 I know girls can be told to grow a pair, but since Darcy grew up in England with different terms (and went to America when he was older so he wouldn't hear it that often), I figured he wouldn't know if it was proper.  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Of course! :D Thank you (for the review and the luck – I needed it for my Algebra Final, lol).  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you. C:  
><span>Nuingarien<span>: Thanks. :3  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Lol. Really? I hinted he was checking someone else out, actually. If those coughs meant faster updates, you're stuck; I get 'em out as soon as I can. :P Oh, yeah, when he was younger it annoyed him.  
><span>Fspsarcastic<span>: Howdy. Thank you. :)  
><span>Jelly Babes 101<span>: Hello new reader/reviewer! Thank you. C:  
><span>Echo1677<span>: Thank you! Woot, a fellow RA and N&S fan – high five! :D It's never too late to review. Thanks - good luck on your Finals, too (or, if you've already taken them by the time I post this chapter, I hope you did well).  
><span>Lena<span>: Thank you! :3

**- Home Is Where the Heart Is -**

Elizabeth let Madeline guide her gently and subtly for the rest of the tour with slight tugs on her wrist.

_He's very much in love with her?_

At the end, she didn't even notice the man in her thoughts come out one of the back doors leave his mansion-house freshly showered and smelling nice.

_He's very much in love with her even with all those zeros behind the worth of his name?_

"Mr. Gardiner, do you like fishing?"

"Undoubtedly, my good man. Call me Edmund or Ed, please."

_He's very much in love with her despite those nasty things exchanged between them?_

"Ed, then, do you want to go fishing? Lorcan will assist you as he wants to go, anyways."

"I'll go with you, Ed. Lizzie, do you want to come?"

_He's… standing right there, looking at her with those silver eyes that screamed, "Stay with me!"_

"I… not particularly, no. Is that okay, Darcy?" Elizabeth said, shooting Madeline a dark glance; it was all her fault for being her typical self. Edmund and Madeline were made for each other – a meddling, some-what philanthropic woman and a closet gossip man. Perfect. By the time lunch was set, Edmund would know all that Madeline knew (the Lorcan boy might as well).

"Don't look so glum, Ellie… I don't bite." Darcy jested, sorely tempted to whisper in her ear, "… Unless you want me to." However, he wouldn't – going slow was his objective, and that wasn't slow. It was the fast lane he'd taken last time that ended up dumping him on the side of the road with out a spare tire; now that he did have one, he wasn't going to ruin it. A smile tugged at Darcy's lips when he saw Elizabeth's deadpan.

"I want you to meet someone. This way. Ed and Mrs. Gardiner, if you go around to the front, Lorcan should be showing up soon with the tackle box and a rod – just tell him I said you could go with him." He said, giving them a half wave before grabbing Elizabeth's wrist and taking her to the stables. Halfway there, three baying steel gray Irish Wolfhounds accosted them zealously, jumping up on their back paws as a greeting. Elizabeth used Darcy as her shield when they started rearing up, knowing instinctively they'd bowl her over unintentionally and get even more excited, thinking she wanted to play; Darcy chuckled as she burrowed into his back, making fists into his sweater when his dogs found someone they viewed as a new playmate.

"Do you react this way with any animal bigger than you, Ellie?" He asked, awkwardly wrapping his arm around Elizabeth and drawing her closer to his back and using the other to ward off her adversaries.

"These guys aren't who I wanted you to meet, but you might as well say hello to these arseholes. The biggest one is Bruce, the smallest one is Timothy, and the middle one is Dick. Bruce, Tim, Dick – meet Ellie. Sit – down! Down! Good boys." Darcy calmed the dogs to three quivering masses of muscle sitting before him, tongue lolling from their maws.

"Anything that can crush me is to be avoided." Elizabeth mumbled, hesitantly looking around Darcy's side to look at Bruce, Dick, and Tim.

"Sorry, they're just really happy I'm home. I got in two days ago and haven't left the house until today… I saw you come in. This is the first they've seen of me since… last Spring Break, at least." Darcy explained, crouching down in front of the tall dogs and roughing scratching the top of their wiry heads; their reaction was immediate. Elizabeth's eyebrows raised as Darcy got pushed onto the ground by his exultant, furry companions to be buried beneath their licking tongues and large paws. It took a while for him to surface, blades of grass entwined in his dark curls, with a cheerful expression.

"That's some greeting." Elizabeth teased, holding a half out to him. Darcy smirked, taking her hand but pulling her down next to him instead of getting up. The dog nearest to Elizabeth – she thought it was Dick or Tim – started licking her face first, with Bruce and Tim – or was it Bruce and Dick? – sniffing at her curiously before joining in on the lick fest.

"We need to get rid of that fear of yours. All of them are big softies – Bruce will take a bit longer, but he's the most cuddle-able." Darcy said, feeling Elizabeth stiffen and relax next to him.

"_You_ cuddle? I'm in shock!" She said, elbowing his ribs gently, holding back laughter from the tickling sensation the dog snouts were giving her.

"I cuddle very well, for your information. I've been told I'm a brilliant pillow." Darcy chided, in mock offense, elbowing her back. Elizabeth had a snarky reply right on her tongue, but when she faced Darcy instead of the dogs, it didn't come out. There he was, smiling like it was _normal_, like nothing had happened between the two of them. Darcy sobered up when Elizabeth started staring at him, a slight frown going to the corners of his lips.

"Something wrong?" He asked, wondering if his comment about cuddling was overstepping and going to fast.

"If it's the pillow thing, it was Georgie, I swear." Darcy quickly stated, trying to correct any thoughts she might have of past girlfriends or lovers.

"No, it's not that, Darcy. It's… us. So much… I mean, I don't know what to call you, even. Fitz or Darcy? This attitude from you seems for foreign, but if I really think about it, this is almost exactly the way you were before. But…" Elizabeth trailed off uncertainly, looking away. No one had ever made her feel this way before – so tentative, so alive. It was all very strange. Darcy licked his lips thoughtfully, getting the gist of what she was saying. Everything seemed exactly the same, only way different.

"C'mon, look at me… look at me, Ellie," Darcy paused, taking her chip in his fingers and making Elizabeth face him when she didn't completely, "Nothing _happened_. You call me 'Old Fart', I call you Ellie, we keep these arguments going… all that good stuff. You just don't hate me implicitly now. It's okay to actually _like_ me, you know – I don't kill people or clean up murders." Elizabeth blushed slightly, chewing on her lower lip. No, she didn't "hate" him implicitly anymore; in fact, she was unsure if she ever did quite hate him. Dislike, yes, but not hate. No… Elizabeth wasn't positive on anything, but she had a feeling she fancied Darcy now that she saw him in a different light.

"Only and old fart would cuddle with his sister and tell women he wasn't related to the rave reviews from her." She tried, softly, like testing the waters. Darcy smirked at her, pulling Elizabeth into a headlock and playfully ruffling her bangs.

"That's my Ellie. And I'm not that old!" He gnarred, releasing her and standing up, offering his hand to help pull her to her feet. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, taking his hand and letting him heft her up effortlessly.

"Says the man who's almost thirty. That's pretty ancient, you know."

"Says the shortie."

"Hey!"

Darcy smirked, making sure to keep Elizabeth's hand snug in his own before practically dragging her out to the stables, the dogs trailing after them.

"I want you to meet my gelding, Watson; my father's stallion, Sherlock, has already passed. I've mentioned them to you, I know… and this is really just an excuse to get you out to the stables." He said, stopping at a stall with an elderly looking horse Elizabeth recognized from the drive in to Pemberley; he wasn't wearing a saddle or a basket currently, though.

"Hello, Watson. Um, why would you want me out here…?" Elizabeth said, just raising a hand in greeting to the horse in question. Watson whinnied at her, stretching out his neck in an attempt to nuzzle her palm, but Elizabeth just backed up a pace so he couldn't reach her.

"Aw, he's friendly, nothing at all like Tybalt. Watson doesn't bite, kick, buck… hell, think of him as a horse version of Charlie that's not ginger. And I want you out here to see if you've any preference to what horse you're going to ride tomorrow." Darcy said, walking up to Watson and stroking his face with one hand and mussing Watson's mane with the other, murmuring comforting words. Watson neighed, throwing his head back before butting Darcy's shoulder lightly with his nose, making Darcy smile.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked, lost.

"That is, if your aunt and uncle agree to letting you stay here. Can you ride by yourself? I know you don't like horses, but—"

"I never agreed to staying here, Darcy!" She interrupted, scowling and placing her hands on her hips. Darcy turned to face her, looking almost comical with Watson arranging his head over Darcy's shoulder like they both were startled by her words.

"Of course you didn't – I'm not giving you the chance of getting away." Darcy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Watson bobbed his head like he was nodding along with Darcy, his dark horse eyes wide and innocent.

"_What_?"

"Did I just say that out loud? I did, didn't I? Ellie," Darcy consulted his horse before pausing and walking over to Elizabeth solemnly, hands behind his back.

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend the rest of your Spring Break in my lousy company."

Elizabeth blinked once, twice, then deadpanned. She could definitely see the resemblance between Darcy and Richard now; there was no mistaking Richard's art of being so absurd but lovable seeping through Darcy at the moment. Instead of answering him, Elizabeth opted for standing on her tiptoe, slapping Darcy upside the head and walking away.

"Oi! Ellie, I was joking! Well, not entirely – not about – oi! Where are you going?"

"To find someone sane to explain to me where the real Fitz went to."

"Is that a yes? Because I already asked Mrs. Brown to air out a guest room…"

Elizabeth paused, considering the option. Sure, seeing the English countryside would be entirely amazing, but her aunt was right. Darcy and this chance among chances came once in a lifetime. Turning back to see Darcy standing in the doorway of the stables, blades of grass in his hair and his face so earnest, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile to herself. It was time for some payback.

"It's a yes if you can convince Uncle Ed. He's fiercely protective of me and doesn't like any boy approaching me." She said with a front of seriousness, letting Darcy lock up the stable and catch up to her.

"I'm calling your bluff. Besides, I'm a man, not a boy." He sniffed, partially believing her. Darcy doubted Edmund was like Elizabeth said, but he would believe Edmund would tell his brother-in-law who did seem the type she described. Mulling over those thoughts, Darcy was taken by complete surprise when Tim tackled him to the ground, a stick in his jowls.

"I'm calling your bluff, playing like that." Elizabeth mimicked his words, watching Darcy wrestle with his dog; he looked younger, much akin to a boy.

"… Be quiet, you tosser."

- (Crappy break line) -

Lunch went swimmingly. Because the group was small, Mrs. Reynolds insisted they eat on the back patio and was conned into joining them by an affable Darcy. Madeline caught up with all that she'd missed and then some, watching the way Darcy acted around Elizabeth and vice versa; she was glad to have opened her niece's eyes to the opportunity she had. She agreed immediately to let Elizabeth "abandon her poor aunt and uncle for a getaway young British lad", causing both in question to color slightly; Edmund finally caught on then and played the part of a protective uncle until he burst out laughing, breaking the farce. Even though Elizabeth wanted to stay with Darcy, she also wanted to spend time with the Gardiner children and ended up going home with her aunt and uncle with them promising to drop her off around eleven the next morning with her suitcase; Elizabeth wasn't sure if she should be happy or scared at how willingly they let her stay with a man they didn't know.

Elizabeth spent her night building a fort with the quadruplets then proceeded to be ganged up on by all four in a pillow fight using the pillows that had once made a beautiful fortress. Since it was their only night with Elizabeth, Madeline and Edmund let their children have a little camp out in the den with Elizabeth; they also let the kids stay up until they fell asleep, one by one, curled up around Elizabeth while watching a Lion King marathon. Despite staying up later than normal, Samantha, Brooke, Grayson, and Ollie were all up by eight and tugging at Elizabeth's hair to wake her up. Elizabeth got revenge by restarting the pillow fight from the night before, getting all four of them square in the face before the noise woke Madeline and Edmund who were forced to be party poopers and break the fight up.

After breakfast, Elizabeth consulted her suitcase, wondering what would be adequate to wear and when she'd become such… such a _girl_ that depended on what some guy thought on a date even though she wasn't going on a date so it shouldn't have mattered anyways even though it did for some strange reason. Hell, she wasn't even sure what Darcy had in store for her other than riding a horse she didn't want to ride!

Madeline decided not to ask when she went into the guest bedroom to tell Elizabeth to hurry up when she heard said girl muttering things like, "Horses are evil, just like men… I'm going to filet his ass if he tries making me ride a horse again… evil, _evil_ creatures…" Madeline backed away slowly and silently, leaving her niece in peace until it was ten o'clock. By then, Elizabeth had showered, packed away the few things that had migrated outside of her suitcase, and had chosen an ensemble she thought was at least presentable. Darcy could throw a fit if he wanted, but she was not changing out of her boot cut blue jeans, red Chucks, and matching red t-shirt.

"Lizzie, we need to get going if we're going to get you to Pemberley around eleven like we said…" Madeline approached Elizabeth once more, a bit cautiously, still remembering the curious state Elizabeth had been in earlier.

"Aunt Maddie, is it really okay with y'all? For me to be skipping out on the English countryside? You didn't already reserve another tour, did you?" Elizabeth asked, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully. It terrified her that she'd be with Darcy for the remainder of her week, but it was also… sort of exciting.

"No, Lizzie, Pemberley was the only one we had to reserve a tour for since it's the only one the families actually live in still around here. Shame, that – these old houses should still be houses to them." Madeline said, drawing Elizabeth into a bear hug. Elizabeth returned the tight hug, burying her face into her aunt's shoulder.

"He's something, isn't he?"

"Certainly, Lizzie. But just because he's only got eyes for you doesn't mean Little Darce can have his way with you, you hear? For a while, he was pretty notorious for breaking hearts – even though that was when he was Kitty's age, it doesn't mean anything. Promise you won't do anything you don't want to with him?" Madeline asked, removing one hand from Elizabeth to hold up her pinky finger. Elizabeth grinned, pulling a hand up and interlocking their smallest digits.

"Promise."

- (Crappy break line) -

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, _no_! Not again!"

Before Elizabeth realized it, Darcy had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder fireman style, crossing the lawn to the stables with long strides.

"You can put your feet down, Ellie, but I'm not the type to drag ladies. It takes too much effort on my part." Darcy joshed, putting an arm over the back of her knees for extra security should she start to struggle.

"Why on horseback, huh? You know I don't like riding on horses because you clearly remembered the Tybalt incident yesterday!" Elizabeth cried, grabbing fistfuls of Darcy's shirt; even though she knew he wouldn't let her fall, the ground didn't look too appetizing from her face-first angle. She flushed horribly when a voice that sounded just like Charlotte's said in her head, "The ground might not look too yummy, but something else certainly does," before laughing. Elizabeth made a mental note to kick Charlotte the next time she saw her friend; it as all Charlotte's fault that she'd eyed the close-up view she had of Darcy's bum even if Charlotte wasn't really there.

"I recall no such thing." Darcy snickered, completely unaware he was being checked out.

"Okay, don't make any sudden movements for a bit, Ellie, or else you'll become quite acquainted with the ground. I'm going to unlock the stables and then set you down, alright?" He said, tightening his grip over her back while removing his arm form her knees. As Darcy unlocked the door and walked inside the stables, Elizabeth had gone very still; she did a little fist pump when he let her down. Chuckling at her action, Darcy led her to the two horses that he knew could take the stress of two people on it's back.

"The flaxen mare is Epona and that golden stallion is CS – short for Cloud Strife; Georgie named them, swear. Which one would you rather riding?" Darcy asked, pointing to the horse in question when he named them.

"Do you even know who they're named after?" Elizabeth asked, trying to stall him, recognizing the former name for the mare but not the stallion's.

"I understand they're named after video game characters; I really wish sometimes Ritz hadn't introduced Georgie to video games. Anyways, stop trying to distract me, pick and don't disappear while I go get something." Darcy said, giving Elizabeth's shoulder a slight squeeze before leaving the stables. Elizabeth looked from the mare to the stallion and did eenie, meanie, miney, moe to choose the steed for whatever excursion Darcy had planned; as it turned out, the mare dubbed Epona was the one that she was pointing to at the end of the rhyme. She walked over to the mare, offering her hand before stroking the soft fur of her face, wearing a small smile.

"See? Horses aren't scary." Darcy approached Elizabeth from behind, startling her. Epona whinnied in response, immediately ducking her head to investigate the wonders in the hiking backpack in Darcy's hand.

"Yes, I've carrots for you, don't worry, girl. As for you, Ellie, I've a picnic planned your you that you won't be getting out of; since you don't have hiking boots for ankle support, the safest way there is on horseback."

Elizabeth huffed in response, curious as to where the place was now, watching Darcy put the backpack down and take Epona's lead rope, taking her out of her stall and over to the tack room was. Darcy tied the rope to a post and went inside, exiting with Epona's bridle, reins, and an English styled saddle; he outfitted the mare and adjusted the stirrups before asking Elizabeth to come over with the backpack. Elizabeth grabbed the bag, which was surprisingly heavy for the way Darcy had handled it before, prior to trudging over to Darcy's side with her mouth set at a grim line.

"Thank you, Ellie. Now, you may not like this, but you're going to get on first without me—"

"Oh, _no_ – if you're making me ride a horse, there's no way I'm getting on with out you getting on right after, Fitz. I lived on a farm, if you don't remember – you can give me a leg up or take the mounting block outside and those aren't the only ways to get up. It's your turn to choose now." Steely determination lined Elizabeth's words, reminding Darcy of Mrs. Bennet's ramblings about how eligible young men would date her daughters and treat them like princesses. A smile lit up his face at the resemblance, because he knew Elizabeth would deny it, causing him to concede with a nod of his head.

"Have it your way, then… Princess." Darcy threw the last word out there as a tease, picking he backpack from Elizabeth's hands, pulling it onto his back.

"Princess? What – where did that come from?" Elizabeth questioned as Darcy untied Epona's lead, showing her to the doors; Elizabeth was forced to follow with out a reply. Epona nuzzled Darcy's bag when he locked the doors to the stables once more; she continued to do so while he led her to a fence and only stopped when he turned to Elizabeth.

"You going to use the fence or want a leg up?" Darcy asked, smirking slightly.

"Only if you answer my question." Elizabeth said obstinately, crossing her arms. He shrugged in response, not really caring.

"I remembered something and said it to rile you up, Ellie. Now, leg up or fence?" Darcy inquired, raising an eyebrow at her. Hadn't he already shown her she could be stubborn all she wanted but he'd still get her?

"Fence, because an old fart like you can't possibly give me a leg up with that big of a backpack on your back." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him, climbing up onto the lower rungs of the fence before throwing one leg over Epona's back and situating herself in the saddle meticulously.

"I'll show you this 'old fart' can handle anything you dole out, Ellie." Darcy threatened, quickly mimicking Elizabeth's movements to swing up in the saddle after her, boot-clad feet going into the stirrups; he leaned forward into her back to reach the reins lying listlessly on Epona's neck, taking his time in doing so since he could smell her hair discretely. Darcy put his heels back into Epona's flanks and they were off, into the forest by a rarely used track, one he hadn't used in years. Like in Central Park, Darcy was able to point things out for Elizabeth as they went, putting her at ease while in the saddle. The trail was fitted with rocks, holes, fallen branches and other hindrances Darcy said would make the walk difficult, his reasoning behind not wanting Elizabeth to go down it with out hiking boots. Elizabeth wasn't positive it was his only reason for wanting to ride since he continually brushed against her in the slightest things, like pointing out a squirrel was his fingers ghosting over her bare arm before pointing out the woodland creature; she found out she didn't mind much at all.

"So, where are we going?" Elizabeth asked quietly after a half hour had passed with both of them on Epona's back.

"It's taking longer than usual because I don't want to hurt Epona – sorry. We'll be there soon, I think." Darcy said, avoiding her question, looking closely at their surroundings. Generally, it took him a half hour to get to the river, depending on how fast he had his mount going, but he wasn't sure if they were nearing the destination or not since the growth, predictably, looked different form his last trip.

"You must be getting hard of hearing, Old Fart, 'cause that's not what I asked." Elizabeth twisted slightly to look at Darcy over he shoulder, drawing his attention to her face.

"I know; it's a surprise, love. Now, turn back around before this old fart starts to worry about you slipping and him scrambling to keep you upright and accidentally falling himself, upsetting Epona and sending her on a gallop—"

"Stop right there, jerk." Elizabeth snapped, ignoring Darcy's chortling as she turned forward again, sending a gentle elbow into his middle.

"You're adorable all irritated like that, you know." Darcy teased, taking one hand off the reins to tickle Elizabeth's stomach.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer. And put your eyes on the road!" Elizabeth retaliated, taking his wrist in both her hands and directing his hand back to the reins.

"I'm not driving a vehicle, Ellie. Epona might have one horsepower, but she's no metal monstrosity. Tomorrow you'll find out what I've in my garage." Darcy grinned toothily at the thought, remembering a plan he'd abandoned after she'd rejected him on New Year's Eve. If Elizabeth thought horseback riding was bad, she had another thing coming for tomorrow when he took her around the perimeter of the Darcy property.

"I don't like the sound of that."

"I didn't think you would."

"… Jerk-face."

He laughed, again. By this time, however, Elizabeth and Darcy could hear the gurgling of water in the distance and the break in the trees wasn't that far off.

"Welcome to my secret escape for when I was a lad, Ellie." Darcy said as Epona walked into a small alcove of rolling green grass that gave way to a tiny sand and shingle beach. On the opposite bank was a three-foot cliff over the water, a tree with a tire swing hanging from a low branch right on the edge; amongst the roots of the tree was a weathered tackle box, a long, skinny branch that had been used as a makeshift fishing rod resting against the trunk. The river couldn't have been more than about five and a half feet deep at the point the alcove was at, and it was clear all the way down to the rocky bottom.

"It's beautiful…" Elizabeth said, after a minute of awe-struck gazing, not aware Darcy had already dismounted and dropped off the backpack.

"Thanks. We are still on my property, if you were wondering. I own miles and miles of woodland like this… it was nice, as a lad. Georgie was never tempted to go very far in the forest, so she never found a special place like this." Darcy explained, holding his hand up to Elizabeth to help her get down.

"Georgie doesn't know about this place?" Elizabeth breathed, eyes wide as Darcy grasped her hands firmly, letting her down as slowly as he could. He paused for a minute, thinking, before turning his back on Elizabeth and showing Epona to a tree to tie her to it.

"No – I've never taken her here. You're the first I've shared this with. I didn't have girlfriends to impress as a teenager, only… _lovers_ to take my anger and frustrations out on. Then, when I actually got around to dating, it was in London and none of those women would be interested in this place, anyways." Darcy said, choosing his words carefully, trying to betray how great an honor it was for Elizabeth to be there. When he turned around to face her again, he could tell he'd failed, but Elizabeth didn't seemed bothered like he thought she might, just stunned into silence. When Darcy walked back over to her, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his middle securely, her cheek pressed to his chest; she could hear his heartbeat quicken slightly as he reciprocated the hug, arms heavy and drawing her closer.

"Thank you, Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth murmured softly, words lost in Darcy's sweater, but he guessed her motive behind hugging him. She could hear his, "You're welcome," rumbled from in his chest before the words left his lips. Darcy craned his neck to rest his chin on Elizabeth's head, once more drawing in the cent of her shampoo. Elizabeth wasn't sure how long she spent practically crushed to Darcy, completely surrounded by him, before Epona whinnied, causing their personal bubble to break. She jumped, and Darcy's head whipped up from her own to look at Epona. He hissed at the whiplash, unconsciously dragging Elizabeth closer to him with one arm while the other moved upwards so he could rub his neck with his hand.

"Hey, Fitzwilliam, you're hurting me. _Fitz_!" Elizabeth struggled, finding breathing hard to do because of the solid body in front of her mouth and the arm pushing the oxygen from her lungs. Darcy let go of her immediately, apologizing quickly.

"I'm so sorry, Ellie, I – wait, did you call me 'Fitzwilliam'?"

"Yeah, I did. That's your name, after all. You're adorable all dumbfounded like that, you know." Elizabeth mirrored his earlier words impishly. Darcy snorted, shaking his head slowly, going around her to the discarded backpack. He pulled out the blanket, a soft, slightly threadbare in some areas, blue plaid item, handing Elizabeth one side. Catching his drift, Elizabeth helped Darcy lay the blanket out evenly over the grassy area of the alcove, sitting down on it when he instructed her to; Darcy joined her, pulling the backpack between them to empty most of its contents. Mrs. Reynolds had packed a liter of lemonade and apple cider each, chestnut soup, Yorkshire pudding, and roast beef for lunch with ice cream to go with the left over pudding for dessert.

Over lunch, Darcy discovered Elizabeth's first crush had been Mark Jones and called him her prince or knight in shining armor, but when she found him kissing a girl his age, she'd given up on him and called him a poop face. Her defense to his laughter was that she was six. Darcy, in turn, told her about his first crush: the anchorwoman from the News station he watched every morning; he had no protective comments to her laughter. They traded stories from their childhoods about their parents or siblings, which led to Darcy telling the whole story behind the alcove. At just twelve, he'd stormed away from his father and to the stables, mounting Sherlock and riding him irately with out looking into the forest to stumble upon a place no one knew about. It took him a while to find his way back after cooling down, but ever since it had been his secret get away when he wanted to disappear.

After they finished eating, Darcy showed Elizabeth the fallen tree that made an excellent bridge about five yards downstream from the alcove. It took some goading, but he got her across and over to the tire swing tree eventually.

"I just nicked one of Vincent's tires one day when I was thirteen and could barely life it, and he decided to play dumb. I think he knew I'd found someplace special and let me." Darcy elucidated as Elizabeth inspected the old, drooping tire. When her back was to him and she was close to the edge, Darcy gave Elizabeth a shove that was just enough to send her over. All she was able to do before going under the surface was give a surprised yelp.

"You - _you_ _asshole_! This water is fucking _cold_! Hey, stop laughing, jerk! _Jeeerk_!" Elizabeth shrieked after spitting out the water she'd accumulated in her open mouth, treading the water angrily. As Darcy erupted into raucous laughter, she couldn't help but be reminded of the pool incident at Rosings that was eerily similar. Elizabeth flicked him off even though he wasn't paying attention, swimming to the beach and swiftly leaving the freezing water; in no time at all, she'd crossed the tree-bridge and was at his side.

"It never gets old. Never." Darcy sniggered, wiping mirthful tears from the creases around his eyes. When Elizabeth shoved him, hard, he expected it; she didn't expect him pulling her along with him over the small drop back into the river. Darcy was cackling again after they surfaced together upon seeing Elizabeth's expression.

"Yeah, you're a freaking riot, Old Fart." Elizabeth sneered, sending a wave of cold water into Darcy's face. He sputtered as the liquid his him, inhaling some, but he recovered fast, grabbing Elizabeth around the waist and drawing her up bridal style into his arms over the water.

"How many times have you called me old, eh? I think you should be dunked for each time. Fifteen is a nice round number, albeit a little low, don't you think?" Darcy questioned, wearing a malevolent grin.

"You wouldn't dare—" Elizabeth stopped short as Darcy dared, dunking her head beneath the water's surface for a few seconds before pulling her back up.

"Screw you." Elizabeth struggled to get released, one arm useless as it was trapped between her side and Darcy's chest.

"Bite me, love." He provoked, dunking her again before she could spit out a reply. Darcy was only mildly surprised when Elizabeth bit his arm; he feigned pain and dropped her, still grinning. He was quite astonished when she circled around to his back and clambered up him, slender arms wrapped around his neck.

"Pray for mercy from Elizabeth." Elizabeth teased in Darcy's ear, wrapping her legs around his torso to help her stay up.

"Pfft." Darcy snorted, placing his hands beneath her knees and wading out of the river, keeping Elizabeth on his back like he was giving her a piggyback ride.

"Before you catch cold, let's warm you up." He said, crouching down on the beach to let Elizabeth down safely.

"Shoulda thought about that before shoving me, huh?" She said, letting go of his neck, shivering slightly as a breeze passed by.

"Oh, I did." Darcy laughed, going over to the backpack and pulling a pair of jeans, socks, undergarments, and a t-shirt in addition to a towel with a few heat packs hidden in the group. Elizabeth turned red, snatching away the clothes with out thanking him, instead saying, "Turn around and don't look. If you do, you're dead, perverted Old Fart." She quickly changed from her sopping wet clothes to the warmed spares, keeping her underwear hidden within the recesses of her shirt and jeans; the only thing still cold and wet were her Converse and hair.

"You can look now."

When Darcy turned around, he wanted to whistle lowly. Elizabeth looked lovely to him, hair wet and ruffled, rubbing her arms for warmth with the towel wrapped around her shoulder to keep her hair form dripping down her back.

"Here." He flabbergasted her by walking over, taking the towel from her shoulders and drying her undercoat by squeezing most the water form it. Darcy dried most of the bottom layers of Elizabeth's hair before she felt the cold droplets coming off his arms and flushed; she'd been too absorbed watching his face, wearing that tender expression she'd seen before when he'd zipped up her coat at Rosings, as he dried her hair.

"You're dripping – go dry yourself off. You'll catch a cold instead of me." Elizabeth said, lower lip jutting out in an almost pout, putting her hands on her hips like saying that was the final decision. Darcy smiled softly, wanting to take her lower lip between his teeth and suck on it, but instead he turned back to the backpack and retrieved his own change of clothes and towel. Elizabeth gave an, "Eep!" of surprise, turning redder, when Darcy took of his shirt.

"You're too cute, Ellie." Darcy laughed as she turned around.

"Shut up. Perverted Old Fart." Elizabeth shot back, sticking her tongue out even though he couldn't see it.

"When did I become perverted, hm?" Darcy asked, toweling off and changing rapidly, dumping the wet garments of his and Elizabeth's unceremoniously into the pack after getting two jackets out of it. He threw one to Elizabeth to signify he was done changing, gathering up the used dishes and utensils and putting leftovers back into the Tupperware containers. Elizabeth donned the jacket and aided Darcy in folding the blanket back up; she made him put on the discarded jacket before he gave her a leg up to get back up in Epona's saddle.

"How are you getting up?" Elizabeth asked, feeling dread build up and settle in her stomach, knowing she shouldn't have let him assist her onto the mare yet.

"Finding a rock or a tree." Darcy explained, one hand on Epona's reins, the other resting comfortingly on Elizabeth's thigh. Elizabeth grabbed Epona's mane tightly, sitting quite stiffly in the saddle.

"Ellie, you're going to have to calm down; you're scaring Epona." He instructed after a minute of leading Epona down the trail, noticing how jittery the mare was becoming.

"Then let me down, Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth said, knowing the obvious, but she couldn't help but feel cold terror seeping in, his words from earlier becoming the demons whispered in her ear. Seeing no nearby log or rock and with both females getting antsy, Darcy turned to the stirrups and lengthened the one side to where he didn't strain his leg to reach it, placing his boot in it.

"This is going to be a bit awkward, Ellie. Lean forward, would you?" Darcy asked, placing both his hands of Epona's back; once Elizabeth had leaned forward, he pushed upwards with the foot still on the ground, using the momentum from the slight jump to pull himself up behind Elizabeth and swing his other leg over Epona's back.

"I won't let you fall, Ellie; I'm here now." Darcy soothed, drawing Elizabeth to his chest lightly, tracing consoling circles into her stomach. Only after Elizabeth calmed down did Epona do the same, allowing Darcy to safely, if a bit clumsily, readjust the stirrup length for the one side he lengthened and start the journey back to Pemberley. The ride back was silent, but Elizabeth spent it comfortably leaning into Darcy with his chin resting on her head. The stable hand that was mucking the stalls when the pair got back said nothing to either of them, but she did tell another hand, who told a gardener, who told Lorcan, who told Mrs. Reynolds, all before dinner was started. After placing Epona in the stable girl's care, Darcy showed Elizabeth to her room.

"I'm just down the hall if you ever need me at night. I suggest taking a warm shower before dinner." He said, opening the door he presented Elizabeth with after pointing to a door three down and across the hall from her room.

"Okay, thanks, Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth said, peering inside of the room. It was as big as the apartment she shared with Jane! The main decorative color was powder blue with silver and white acting as the accenting colors; delicate flowers decorated the room for the theme. The bed was king sized with the same light blue color as the walls, the pillows being white; her suitcase rested in the middle of it, a splash of evergreen and black against the blue. There were two doors in the room; one led to the adjoined bathroom and the other to the closet. Antique furniture was spread around the room, including a writing desk.

"Do you like it? Will it be okay? Because there are plenty of other rooms –"

"It's perfect, Fitzwilliam - thank you." Elizabeth interrupted Darcy, turning around and giving him a quick hug he didn't have time to return.

"Good, good… um, why do you call me by my whole name? I thought…" Darcy trailed off, following Elizabeth into the room. She inspected the closet, which was way bigger than she'd ever need, and the bathroom that had a tub, shower, sink, toilet, and small cabinet. Darcy was about to repeat his question when Elizabeth turned around, blushing slightly.

"Well, no one calls you 'Fitzwilliam', right? No one else calls me 'Ellie', so it seems pretty fair to me. Besides, Fitzwilliam just rolls of the tongue… it's a very nice name. Or at least I think so, anyways." Elizabeth finally answered his question, not meeting his imploring silver gaze.

"Ah." Darcy sighed, smiling. No one had ever admitted to liking his name before; all he'd ever been told was that it was pompous, fitting of a rich boy who had everything in his first year of primary. Ever since then, he'd gone by Darcy or Fitz.

"Hey, before you go, I have a question for you, Fitzwilliam. I don't mean to sound accusatory or anything, but why aren't you sadder? You were smiling when you spoke of your mother and father and Vincent Reynolds…" Elizabeth inquired, half expecting Darcy not to answer. Darcy blinked, stunned for a moment, before laughing softly.

"I already tried being sad, having a pity party every day and all that. It didn't work out too well, you know. I have to live for Georgiana, of course, and be happy for her. Her situation is much worse if you think about it: she never knew mum or dad, technically. There are also worse stories in the world, in the big picture. After I had the realization about Georgie, I guess I figured I'd stop wallowing in self-pity, stop crying and look on the brighter side of things. It's a very good, although hard, practice to have… you're here right not and don't hate me, for example. I was pretty sure you wouldn't read my letter or, if you did, I'd still never see you again. What made you read it, anyways?" He replied thoughtfully, shrugging in nonchalance. Elizabeth chose not to say Darcy's example sucked because it didn't show any optimism at all.

"Oh, that. Ritz decided to replace my books with some textbooks in French or something and drain the life of my phone and iPod; he left me basically no choice but to read your letter or to sleep." Elizabeth laughed slightly, then remembered that Richard didn't want Darcy finding out about his scheme.

"You didn't hear that from me." She said quickly, wondering if Richard would enact revenge eon her if he ever found out.

"Oh, he's dead. That poxy, bloody helpful bastard…"

Elizabeth didn't hear the rest of Darcy's rant because he left then, cracking his knuckles ominously. She knew not to breach the subject again and elected to take a warm shower like Darcy encouraged once she saw what the time was. After showering, Elizabeth read a book, unaware if she could visit Darcy or not, until he knocked on her door and said dinner was ready. Just like lunch the previous day, Mrs. Reynolds conned Darcy and Elizabeth into eating outside with heaters placed around the patio to enjoy the crisp evening air. She joined them momentarily before giving what Elizabeth assumed was an excuse but Darcy assured her was probably true (Mrs. Reynolds said Lorcan was helpless in the kitchen and wanted to make sure he was doing his job right), leaving the two of them to chat about little things of no importance.

"How do you feel about motorbikes?" Darcy asked, just as Mrs. Reynolds came onto the patio, phone in hand; he rose to get it but was shot down with a shake of Mrs. Reynolds' head.

"The phone is for you, Miss Lizzie." She said, handing the landline to Elizabeth.

"Hello?" Elizabeth said, smiling at Mrs. Reynolds in thanks as she left. Darcy returned his attention to his empty plate, trying not to eaves drop on Elizabeth's side of the conversation. Jane's voice came through the phone.

"Lizzie, you need to come home _now_! I'm so, so sorry to cut your vacation short, but Mary has disappeared and mum had a heart attack. Mum thinks Darcy took her, but I can't – I mean, he's Charlie's friend, and – we just need you home. I'm so, so, so, _so_ sorry, Lizzie."

The phone slipped from Elizabeth's fingers, falling to the ground with a loud clatter. Darcy was immediately kneeling before her, asking what was wrong, trying to console her.

_Mary was missing and they thought Darcy took her? Her mother had a heart attack? What?_

**A/N**_: Yay, 13 is out before 2012? :) So, nice twist, right? Mary is missing instead of Lydia. Oh, yeah, Wickham isn't through yet. Bastard. Well, my Finals went down pretty well (or I hope they did, especially my Algebra one) and break started. Free for two weeks before going to a brand new school! I hope everyone else who had Finals/will have Finals soon does well on theirs. Good luck to y'all!_

_Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, y'all. Those who watch this story or whatever, don't be surprised if you get an email saying this story was updated tomorrow – gonna go over this chapter for spelling mistakes and all that tomorrow. Until next year. ;P_

_~Tobi_


	14. Fool in Aluminum Foil

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Error 404 – Does not compute.  
><strong>Songs<strong>: Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum and How Does It Feel by Avril Lavigne.  
><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
>Jelly Babes 101<span>: Thanks. Well, you'll see why. :)  
><span>.snow0<span>: Don't forget Darcy broke his nose before. ;P Thank you.  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you! :D  
><span>Celtic Elvish Maid<span>: Thank you. C: Woot, high-five for being Texans (by heart works for me)!  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Thanks, lol. XD  
><span>Fspsarcastic<span>: Thank you. Well, read to find out. ;)  
><span>Alethea R. Grey<span>: Aw, thanks! :D  
><span>Anon. with no name<span>: That would be funny. X3 Thank you for reviewing.  
><span>SilverStella<span>: I'm glad you like it even though it's weird. Thank you for loving it. :) 

**- Fool in Aluminum Foil -**

"Jane?" Darcy picked up the phone when he heard a female's voice coming through it; he'd thought it had been hung up. Elizabeth's eyes flew wide, horror prevalent on her face; if Jane thought Darcy had taken Mary for some godforsaken reason, she had no idea how Jane would react if she found out Elizabeth was with Darcy. No, she wouldn't let that confrontation happen. Elizabeth snatched the phone away from him, using the hand motion of decapitation, shaking her head furiously. Darcy was nonplussed, but he didn't walk away. He stood up and took a position behind Elizabeth, rubbing his hands comfortingly on her shoulders; if he just happened to hear some bits of Jane's half of the conversation, then that was because it was a happy byproduct of trying to console Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry, Jane, I dropped the phone. Repeat what you just said?" Elizabeth asked shakily, feeling her shoulders relax into Darcy's massage.

"Who was that, Lizzie?" Jane's worried voice made Elizabeth cringe. Lying to Jane always felt akin to kicking a defenseless baby animal, but it had to be done.

"That was Uncle Ed. He's got the start of a cold, so, y'know, his voice sounds funny and all…" She replied, trying not to sound too hesitant or too eager. It was plausible, depending on how Jane got a hold of Darcy's Pemberley landline number and not knowing it.

"So they got back early, then? Oh, I told them not to leave their dinner because of me… tell them I'm sorry!"

"Jane says she's sorry for interrupting your dinner, Uncle Ed and Aunt Maddie." Elizabeth said, much too loudly for someone as close as Darcy, looking up at him pleadingly.

"Oh… that's, eh, quite alright. We just want to know what's going on; she sounded so distressed…" Darcy said, trying to make his voice sound closer to Edmund Gardiner's. He didn't think he did very well, but it was good enough for Jane listening in on the telephone.

"So, what did you say, Jane? After I dropped the phone?" Elizabeth pressed, desperately wanting to know the whole story.

"Mum went to Smithville Regional because that's the closest. They're doing open-heart surgery on her right now. I don't know how long it will take or when she'll come out, so please don't ask. Kitty keeps asking like we – dad and I – know more than she does – which we don't; Lydia is just curled in a ball, rocking back and forth, and dad… he won't stop pacing… and Mary – Mary is _missing, possibly kidnapped, and unaware_. Oooh god, I never wanted y'all to suffer through this… Lizzie, please, I need you here. It's chaos now, and it'll be worse when mum is open for visitors, I just know it. I don't even know how we'll afford all this…"

"Janie, breath, just breath. Calm down, we'll find a way to pay for it. It might not be that much, who knows. I'll be flying back as soon as I can, all right? First flight back and I'll be on it. Tell me about Mary." By now, Elizabeth's voice had gone a few pitches higher, her anxiety showing through not only by that but also because of her trembling legs and arms. It was a bit ironic that Elizabeth wanted Jane to be tranquil when she herself couldn't across an ocean and in another continent, away from the mess at the hospital.

"Oh, _Mary_… she up and vanished. You know how mum and dad let her go with her friend, Alyssa, to that conference? Well, Alyssa went with Mary to the hotel, but Mary skipped out on the conference entirely. Met up with a tall, dark haired guy at the hotel bar that Alyssa thinks is Darcy because of everything we've heard. It was after Mary had had a few drinks, showing off her new ID and all, and suddenly Alyssa spies a good-looking guy with her… the next time Alyssa looks over while she's dancing, they're both gone. No note, no anything. Alyssa asked the bartender if he knew where Mary went, and she said he said some guy took 'the tipsy lightweight' away. Didn't hear much of anything. Oh, Lizzie, it's almost exactly like when you… at Bob's bar that one time… Darcy had gone to get our drinks… he could've then… and, and his plan went awry that night… he wasn't, he didn't… was very sketchy that night… but I can't believe that of him! Honestly, to be such good friends with-with Charlie and be that sort of monster…"

Elizabeth gulped, seeing the only reason Jane wasn't severely doubting Darcy's integrity was because of his friendship with Charles; that couldn't be a good sign. She took one of Darcy's hands with her left, squeezing it like it was the only life preserve she had, feeling the bile rise in her throat.

"What have you heard about – about Darcy?" Elizabeth stumbled, almost saying "Fitzwilliam" instead of "Darcy." With him standing behind her, rubbing her shoulders with one hand and letting her block off circulation to his fingers on the other, Elizabeth couldn't help but think of him as "Fitzwilliam."

"Well, girls started having those black-out nights, as you remember, and so it wasn't a strange topic in bars. Girls started traveling in packs more often, keeping together instead of dispersing, talking about the most recent girl with a black-out night… Lydia and Kitty were with their friends – you know, the ones that provide them with fake IDs – at a bar one night because Wick's band was playing. After their bit, he recognized Kitty and Lydia and joined their group. The girls confided their fears to him, and suddenly he goes from joking around to real serious, they said. That's when the whole story came out; Lydia said Wick wasn't one bit hesitant in telling them. He's a good guy, that Wick."

Elizabeth felt the phone slipping from her grasp again, along with her other hand sliding from Darcy's. She felt like hurling.

"… knew of something like this happening in his hometown in Derbyshire, England. He said girls went to clubs and bars, et cetera, and woke up in a hotel – just like the girls around Meryton. Wick said he couldn't let them go on partying in fear… that he had to tell them who was, well, drugging and raping them.

"He told – oh, Lizzie, he told the horrible story about Darcy… Wick said Darcy was a trust fund baby, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so he partied to rebel like a normal rich boy. According to Wick, that wasn't enough to satisfy him, and eventually he started drugging girls with his sleep medication and…" Jane's voice droned on in Elizabeth's ear, thanks to Darcy holding the phone for her, making her paler by the second at the audacity Wick had. He told Lydia, Kitty, and their friends the same mendacity he'd told her, with that stupid shit-eating grin probably present on his face, all the while knowing they were minors drinking alcohol! It was deplorable, it was indecent, it was… just like what he did with Georgiana, almost. Wick spent more time on Georgiana.

"And ever since word got 'round about Darcy, people have basically made his name dirt and avoided anyone who looked remotely similar to him like the Plague. I swear, even Mark has been avoided some since he's just about the right height and has dark hair. I don't really believe it – I mean, it's a really personal story – but everyone else has soaked it up and pitied Wick like no tomorrow. As soon as the words were out of Alyssa's mouth, mum just started freaking and, and… I just need you here, Lizzie." Jane concluded, sounding tearful.

"I… let me go get, schedule that flight, Jane… I need to go tell Aunt Ed and Uncle Maddie…"

"Of course, Lizzie, go ahead. I'll see you soon, then."

"Bye, Jane." Elizabeth barely registered Darcy took the phone away, pressing the "End call" button. All she could see was herself wringing Wickham's neck and her mother in a surgery room with the ECG going into a flat line.

"Come on, Ellie, you've had a rough night. Let's get you to bed; I'll get you a flight home for the morning." Darcy said softly, pulling Elizabeth up to her feet. She wasn't certain when he'd come around to her front or where he'd put the landline.

"No, I've got to go back tonight, Fitzwilliam, I—"

"Just said 'Aunt Ed and Uncle Maddie'. Now, I'm positive that your aunt's name was Maddie and your uncle's was Ed, but I may be mistaken. Go to bed, Ellie, I'll get you on the earliest flight I deem acceptable." Darcy interrupted, placing his hands on Elizabeth's shoulder to steady her. He was unsure if she knew she was shaking or not.

"After – after '_you_ _deem_ _acceptable_'? That's the egotistical bastard, Fitzwilliam; you can't just do that to me! My mother is in a fucking hospital somewhere, in the fucking _emergency room getting a fucking open-heart surgery_, and I'm not there for Jane, Kitty, Lydia and my dad while they all think _you_ kidnapped Mary because of some shit George Wickham spewed while the real question is who really did take her and where she is and – and you can't just tell me you'll take care of it and know what's best for me and my family because you don't have a freaking family, your parents have been dead for over a decade and you just _don't know what it's like_!" Hot tears of frustration tickled Elizabeth's eyes as she rambled, years of insecurities and worries that this might be the last hospital trip for her mother deciding her words; Elizabeth glared hatefully at Darcy's chest, not wanting to meet his eyes. She wasn't sure what would happen if she did. Would he be mad? Furious? Would he really abhor her now? Would he hurt her? Elizabeth wouldn't blame Darcy if he did. When Darcy's hands left her shoulders, Elizabeth tensed up, closing her eyes tightly, waiting for the physical or emotional revenge he'd justly bestow upon her.

Instead of spiteful remarks or examples of his physical strength, Darcy stunned Elizabeth by lightly brushing away the tears escaping the corners of her eyes with his thumbs, holding her face gently within his hands.

"Everything will be alright, Ellie." Darcy's lips followed his hushed whisper. His fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of Elizabeth's neck, pulling teasingly, sending flutters of butterflies berserk in her stomach; before she had a chance to respond, Darcy pulled back momentarily.

"I promise you, Ellie, everything will be alright."

Elizabeth could feel Darcy's lips move as he spoke, but she didn't dare open her eyes. He held her so lightly that she could pull back if she wanted, and upon her not moving, Darcy closed the minimal gap again. Elizabeth's breath was stolen by the all-consuming kiss, the little strength she had slipping through the seams of her lips and going through to Darcy. Whatever doubts she had about Darcy knowing what would be, at least, enough time for her to absorb the new information Jane presented her with were cast aside with the power and feeling of his kiss. Elizabeth was just getting to hug him to her when Darcy pulled away, a soft little smile on his face as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Better?"

Elizabeth flushed and nodded, feeling exceptionally tired from her emotionally taxing experience of Jane's phone call.

"Come on, then, let's get you to bed." Darcy said, quite elated but also very nervous, wondering if he'd gone too far. He couldn't come up with anything more astonishing than kissing her, so he did. Darcy hadn't wanted to go fast, but the only option he had from adverting her attention and building ire that was shocking enough was a kiss. He didn't regret it, per se, but would be cautious upon seeing her in the morning. Seeing that Elizabeth wasn't moving yet, Darcy picked her up, putting Elizabeth's arms around his neck and legs about his waist, setting his own arms beneath her upper thighs. It was not unlike how he carried a younger Georgiana when she had fallen asleep staying up with him for one thing or another; Elizabeth made no sound of protest, choosing only to snuggle her face into the crook of Darcy's neck.

Darcy controlled himself all the way up the stairs and down the halls to Elizabeth's room, concentrating rather well on where his feet were going instead of her breathing on his neck. It was considerably distracting. However, Darcy's concentration was shattered with a jolt when he set Elizabeth down on her bed. She bounced, and it put almost all his self-control into a box that was thrown out the window. She _bounced_. Darcy tore his eyes from the certain part of Elizabeth's anatomy (that _bounced_) and gave a dry cough, trying to think of something so disturbing that it'd block out how inviting Elizabeth looked. He ran through a very sad list (dead baby animals, George Wickham, et cetera) before landing on one that made him shudder and want to run for the hills: his deceased uncle doing what Darcy wanted to do to Elizabeth with his Aunt Catherine. Grunting slightly at the utterly disgusting mental image, Darcy made sure Elizabeth was tucked in before retreating to the safety of his own room.

After setting eyes on his bed, Darcy wondered how much Elizabeth would bounce if he threw her down on it.

- (Crappy break line) -

Elizabeth sighed into the pillow, hugging her knees to her chest under the covers. Even though she was so tired, every time she closed her eyes Darcy popped up in her mind's eye, preventing the sleep edging around her psyche to come. It was just Darcy and the things he did – bearing his soul in his letter, that kiss, his all-around attitude and behavior, that kiss, the way he looked sopping wet, and that kiss being at the top of her list. For all that he'd done, she'd never really thanked him.

Chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully, Elizabeth got out of her warm bed and changed into her pajamas, proceeding to go to Darcy's bedroom door and rapping her knuckles on it loudly. A slight blush crept onto her face when she heard the sounds of running water after knocking.

"I'll be there in a minute, just leave it outside the door." Darcy called, thinking it was one of his employees with something for him. Elizabeth shrugged, sitting down on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest and back against the wall. She rested her head on her knees, thinking she'd be able to stay awake until Darcy left his shower and opened the door because of not being able to sleep in her bed; Elizabeth was quite wrong.

Darcy had forgotten about the knocking at his door after he left the shower, only remembering it once he'd made a call to the Smithville Regional hospital and UTMB. As soon as he was done with that stressing business, the reason behind him not recalling the knocking, Darcy opened his door to see a sleeping Elizabeth right outside in the hall. He kneeled down, a silly, smug smile playing on his lips, brushing back her hair from her forehead; she was wearing the clothes he'd given her at Netherfield. It made him want to puff his chest with pride.

"You're going to get a crick in your neck, Ellie." He whispered, scooping her curled up form into his arms. Upon seeing her, Darcy remembered Jane, which led him to thinking about Charles; from what he heard from Elizabeth, Jane didn't sound rational at all. Certainly, it was a bit arrogant of him to think that Charles' presence would help the poor girl, but it didn't stop him from placing Elizabeth carefully on his bed and picking his cell phone, only recently abandoned on his bedside table, and pressing the speed dial for Charles Bingley.

"'Lo?" A voice answered, hindered by what Darcy could only imagine was food. Looking at his clock that read 11:32 PM, he knew it had to be around 6:32 where Charles was.

"Charlie, it's me. Listen, you need to be on a flight to Galveston as soon as you can." Darcy said, making sure to keep his voice low until he entered the bathroom to not wake Elizabeth accidentally, closing the door behind him.

"Um… yeah, caller ID… why? I mean, I don't know anyone down there. I'm sure it's a splendid place and all – it's got beaches – but… not a real pressing matter, really." Apparently, whatever Charles had been eating, he'd swallowed. Darcy sighed, glaring at his reflection in the mirror. He was tired and cranky from a long day with distressing news; he didn't want to explain everything to Charles!

"Look, the fact I'm telling you should be…" Darcy stopped, realizing the words he was saying, before correcting himself. Charles didn't have anything to do with Wickham and Mary Bennet; he didn't deserve to be chewed out because Darcy just so happened to have a bad night to conclude his amazing day.

"I'm sorry. You're right, from your viewpoint. Jane - Jane _Bennet_ needs you, Charlie. Mrs. Bennet had a heart attack and is in surgery right now, maybe. It's a really bad time for the Bennets, and I think Jane might find a peace of mind to have someone there… Ellie probably won't beat you there. You'd be doing her… no, it'd be good for you both." Darcy said, sounding slightly defeated, omitting certain parts of why Jane was so agitated. He really couldn't handle revealing that everyone around Meryton thought he was scum that kidnapped girls because of Wickham (whom Charles knew nothing about).

"I…" Charles' voice sounded strained; he was utterly dumbstruck and torn.

"Forget about the bloody deal we made, Charlie, and go – get there as soon as you can. I'm positive Jane needs you." Darcy said, scowling at the silence he received in response. It was nearly two minutes before Charles replied.

"I'll go. I'll be there for her. But you owe me the story – from your end because Lizzie is obviously with you, for some reason, at Pemberley – when all of this is over. Promise?"

"Promise, Charlie. Go find your flight." Darcy assured Charles, hanging up shortly after. He left the bathroom as quietly as possible and stared at Elizabeth, clad in his clothes in his bed, adorably ruffled from sleep. The sight was nearly a dream come true. For completely selfish desires, Darcy pushed any thoughts of taking Elizabeth back to her room out a proverbial window as he sat down next to her feet. Since Elizabeth was curled up in a ball, there was quite a bit of room left on his California King, but Darcy wanted to be near Elizabeth, his earlier boldness still playing in his mind. Elizabeth hadn't quite reacted, but Darcy knew she could've pushed him away if she didn't enjoy it. He'd made sure to give her the opportunity and to not hold her tightly like he wanted so dearly to.

"Bloody hell, I'm acting like some snot-nosed brat…" Darcy muttered to himself, chuckling at the absurdity of it all, tangling his fingers in Elizabeth's hair. He leaned back across his mattress, throwing his free arm over his eyes, a grin lighting up his face. Darcy was giggling like no tomorrow, unable to stop them from bubbling up; he was just too exultant. He'd done it - he'd kissed Elizabeth Bennet with out her running away, and _damn_ did it feel _good_. Even Wickham's deception and the fact everyone believed he'd kidnapped Mary couldn't wipe the grand smile from his face.

- (Crappy break line) -

Elizabeth woke in a haze, not really knowing why she'd awoken or how. Then, she heard it: a guitar riff accompanied by the telltale rumbling of a vibrating cell on a table. Blearily she opened her eyes, immediately feeling something foreign in her hair in addition to being actually inside of a bed that smelled too much like Darcy to be anyone else's. Elizabeth raised her head slightly to look around, spotting the man in question at once. Darcy was on his back just below her feet on the bed, no covers on him, with one arm stretched up to be parallel with her back and the other over his face. His lips were twitching from a gorgeous dimpled smile to a scowl as he slowly woke up to the sound of his phone informing him he had an incoming call.

Elizabeth watched him grunt and move his hand, the foreign object she'd felt, out of her hair to reach across the bed to the bedside table, searching for the nuisance without removing his other arm from over his eyes.

"'Ello?"

Elizabeth nearly swooned from the melt-butter tone Darcy had; it was the first time she'd heard him speaking after just waking up. It was delectable. Darcy nearly groaned at the overly perky voice was introduced to his sleep-addled mind.

"Broski, it's me!"

At first, he thought it was Charles because of the uppity voice, but Charles had never called him "Broski" before. That meant the voice had to belong to Mark Jones, but Darcy couldn't, for the life of him, remember ever giving the doctor his phone number.

"Mark…?" He asked just to make sure.

"Hell yeah! Broski, why do you sound so tired, eh? It's only nine-ish… ten-ish if you're with Charlie up north. Don't tell me you go to bed earlier than me." Mark's chipper reply was an ugly wake-up call for Darcy. Darcy sat up, finally moving his arm from over his eyes to run his hand through his hair, glancing first at his digital clock and then at Elizabeth.

"Mark, it's three in the bloody morning. I'm in England." Darcy growled, not noticing that Elizabeth was up at first. When he reached his free hand over to her head to play with her hair (it was addicting), he realized her eyes were open, resting upon him.

"Go back to sleep, Ellie." Darcy murmured, leaving his hand halfway between them, unsure if he should touch her or not. Elizabeth shook her head, sitting up and leaning into his side, a comfortable spot to try and eavesdrop; he just smirked slightly, hugging her closer.

"Sorry, broski, I honestly didn't know – woulda called earlier if I had. Hey, who's with you? Elaine? Shelly? Ell – holy shit, bro, is Liz-Biz with you? Lucky us!" Mark exclaimed in surprise, elated.

"It's alright… yes, she is. Look, can you call me later? At a _decent_ hour?" Darcy sighed, eyelids feeling heavy. He really didn't want to deal with Mark, who was so happy, while he was still half asleep.

"No, no, no – this won't take long. Since Lizard is there, this is perfect timing – or, well, kind of, considering. Anyways, can you tell her Mary is all right? Lizzie is the sanest of her sisters that wouldn't go and immediately tell their mother, so Mary was about to call her. I thought I'd call you since I thought you'd be in town, y'know, be able to get word around and all after—"

"Just spit it out, Mark, stop beating around the bush." Darcy snapped, at the end of his rope, understandably.

"We – that is, Mary and I – eloped."

At first, Mark's words didn't register in Darcy's brain.

"Uh-huh, eloped, goo—wait, wait, wait. _You_ and… _eloped_? When? Do you know all of Meryton thinks I kidnapped her and her mum had a heart attack because of it? Why the hell didn't you leave a bloody note or something?" Darcy exclaimed, once they did make sense in his mind, standing up abruptly. He sent an apologetic look to Elizabeth when she got jostled, almost falling to the floor.

"Yeah we – _what_? Why in the world would they… oh crap, this isn't the time. Fuck. _Fuck_! Is she in a hospital? Which one?" Mark cursed, sounding furious.

"She's transferred to UTMB from Smithville Regional. Mrs. Bennet had open-heart surgery."

"We're gonna be there. No stops. I'll talk to you later, maybe."

At that, Mark hung up. Darcy sighed, snapping his phone shut and setting back down on the bedside table, turning to Elizabeth; he knew his words had to have struck a chord.

"So, Mary ran away and eloped with Mark… that… that's… well…" Elizabeth muttered, trailing off, looking listlessly up at Darcy. All the trouble her family was going through was because of her most-sensible sister loosing that sensibility and eloping with a man sixteen years her senior.

"Come here, love." Darcy mumbled, opening his arms wide; Elizabeth accepted his invitation, molding herself to him inside his hug. He rubbed her back, oscillating slowly.

"No one can be perfect. Your mum will be all right, I promise you that."

At his words, the hot tears that had been stilled because Darcy had kissed her fell freely. Elizabeth sobbed her fears out right into Darcy's chest, terrified the mother she was always complaining about wouldn't be around when she arrived in the hospital. There would be no more frivolity in her house, no one for her father to vex the stuffing out of just for fun, no one to tell her she'd better get herself a nice, preferably rich, man soon… the world somehow seemed bleak with out Faye Bennet in it. After remembering Darcy hadn't been in the comfort of his mother's arms for nearly nineteen years and she'd rubbed it in his face earlier, Elizabeth cried harder out of shame and guilty thoughts that she was being so selfish, incessantly grumbling about the mother she was lucky to still have around.

"I'm sorry, so very _sorry_ for—"

"I know, Ellie, I know." Darcy didn't let her finish, knowing what Elizabeth wanted to say, but he didn't want her to since he believed she had nothing to be sorry for. In his mind, the whole ordeal was his fault since he could've saved Faye the horror of thinking one of her girls had been kidnapped to be used as a sex bunny; it had been ingrained in his mind, because of Wickham, that the blame had to fall on his shoulders alone. It wasn't rational or healthy but it was what Darcy felt. He didn't tell Elizabeth, though, not wanting to unload his feelings on her frayed ones.

Darcy stayed with Elizabeth the rest of the night, watching her cry herself to sleep and then have a fitful rest, unable to shake his shame. He watched her rush around to get dressed since he hadn't woken her on time to let her sleep more. Darcy watched her as much as he safely could while driving her to the airport. He saw her through the airport as far as he could before he watched her walk away, maybe out of his life. Darcy watched Elizabeth until he couldn't see her anymore, and then he watched his own heart break and shatter when he walked back to his car, alone. He watched his guilt gnaw and eat away at his soul and did nothing about it, feeling it was right.

- (Crappy break line) -

Elizabeth was able to sleep on her long flight back to America, caught completely unaware when she landed in Houston; she thought she'd go back to Austin and was confused. After retrieving her luggage, Elizabeth checked her phone and was surprised to see a text from Jane asking her if she'd landed in George Bush Intercontinental and what exit she'd be using. When Elizabeth texted back and waited at the exit she said to meet her at, she was even more stunned when a BMW she hadn't seen in nearly a year rolled up with Jane in the passenger's seat.

"I know! Great shock, isn't it, Lizzie?" Jane smiled as Charles pulled his car to the curb, getting out as soon as he'd killed the ignition. From Jane's voice the previous night, Elizabeth had expected a frantic, nonsensical sister to greet her instead of the collected young woman before her now, taking her carry-on to the trunk.

"If you'll just come over here and put your bag in the turtle…" Charles said, smiling kindly, unlocking the trunk. Elizabeth moved mechanically, still not understanding the situation she was in. How did Charles Bingley find out about her mother's condition? How did her mother even get transferred to UTMB (because there was no other reason to be in the Houston-Galveston area with all the commotion at home)?

"Uncle Ed had a friend in UTMB and got mum the transfer and a rehab session after her surgery and when she's ready for it. Mary's back and she apparently eloped – with Mark, of all people! - instead of being kidnapped by Darcy." Jane explained, seeing her sister's dumbstruck face after all three had gotten into Charles' car, and the said man drove away from the airport.

"Charlie has no idea why that story was started, Lizzie, but you can believe me when I say it's—"

"A bunch of crap, yeah, I know. F—Darcy is a good guy, Wickham is the ass, I know." Elizabeth interrupted, head spinning. Had all this happened in her flight? No, that was impossible, even in the long time span it encompassed. Whatever had started to get the dominos falling, it had to have occurred in the night after the call form Jane, leaving only one person to be the cause.

"… I thought I'd have to convince you, Lizzie, since you seemed so attached to Wick. I mean, no one else believes that he's wrong except Mary and Mark." Jane said, a bit stupefied as she looked at Elizabeth in the rear-view mirror. Charles couldn't help but smiling secretively, curious as to what Elizabeth would say in response.

"I went to Derbyshire, Jane, and there was nothing but praise for Darcy. If Wickham is to be believed, then that whole area would've had to have either forgotten and forgiven or been hypnotized if Wickham's tale actually occurred. Now, as both former explanations are equally ludicrous, I'm betting it's the latter." Elizabeth didn't quite lie, but she still felt bad and used to excuse of not knowing the area to look out the window instead of conversing just so she wouldn't have to resort to dishonesty. When they got to UTMB, Elizabeth sent Jane in alone while she stayed with Charles to find a parking spot, wanting to be alone with him to discuss matters Jane shouldn't know about.

"I know about the… challenge or whatever, Charlie, and I know F—Darcy must've told you to haul ass down here." Elizabeth said once her sister was gone, eyeing Charles carefully; he had a feeling she'd want to talk to him about it. Charles sighed, keeping his gaze on the pavement, contemplating exactly what he could say to not be offensive.

"I'm not saying it was a brilliant idea, but it was adequate for the… _boy_ I was being. I'm not like Darcy – my responsibilities so far have been just to pass into the next grade, so I party and have fun… maybe more than I should. Well, scratch that – with girls, I _have_ partied too much with. I'd like to say I've had meaningful girlfriends – because I have fancied myself in love, I really have – but I don't honestly think I have. I never really got to know my past girlfriends, and they never really got to know me. They all really saw me as a bank account... But, anyways, I promise I won't hurt Jane again. I've straightened out, promise." Charles said, somewhat melancholically for him, slowly pulling his BW around the parking garage to find an empty spot. He didn't quite like being scrutinized by Elizabeth, but he understood and respected it. She was doing more than he'd ever done for either of his sisters – or himself, for that matter.

"If you're really sincere, which should be obvious because you're here, I'll thank you. Jane needs someone special in her life, Charlie, and I know she'd like that person to be you even after you left with out a word and never contacted her despite the fact you have her number. _I_ _will_ be watching you, and if you ever pull a stunt like that again with out telling Jane, I'll kill you. Okay? Because Jane has always done the emotional protecting, she's always left her own heart defenseless." Elizabeth warned, trying to swallow the fact she'd forgiven Darcy much faster than she was Charles, coming to the conclusion she was a bit biased.

"… Thank you." Charles replied quietly, finally finding an open spot and pulling into it. He appreciated the spoken and unspoken caveat, taking it to heart and to mind. If Jane got the shorter end of the stick after their romance, Elizabeth would make sure Charles' name was mud and that he knew it.

"No, thank you for coming, Charlie. Now, since you must've heard the story and done so already, please continue to keep my staying at Pemberley under wraps. If only Mary and Mark believe y'all, then that means Wickham must've met my family and buttered them up real well and that F—Darcy is a taboo subject." Elizabeth said, softly at first, frowning slightly.

"Hey, don't hold back if you're around me; call Darce whatever you want. You must've met Ritz sometime, otherwise you wouldn't know Darce's first name." Charles chuckled, trying to break the serious nature of their ended conversation. Even though the car was parked, neither of them made to get out of it.

"Oh, yeah, I met Ritz." Elizabeth grinned, laughing at the memory of the man. One couldn't help but like him.

"They're not so different, y'know. Darcylicious, once his walls are down or if he's pissed – drunk, I mean, can be just as much as a melodramatic as Ritz."

"I need to see that video."

"Oh, you _do_, you really do." Charles cackled, laughing with Elizabeth all the way to Faye's room, retelling the entire story from his perspective.

- (Crappy break line) -

The rest of Elizabeth's spring break was spent avoiding her mother and giving just about everyone the cold shoulder everyone once and a while because of all the mud being slung at Darcy. Despite the fact Darcy didn't kidnap Mary (in addition to her not being kidnapped at all), Faye was certainly still blaming him for her heart attack and was stressing herself over and over ranting about him; Lydia and Kitty were eon the same page, blacklisting Darcy from any of their thoughts and words unless it was echoes of Wickham's mendacity. The only one who didn't believe Darcy was a good man but didn't voice his thoughts about it was Thomas.

Charles and Jane were thicker than thieves, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing in the big picture, but with them being the only ones who thought well of Darcy, Elizabeth got the feeling of being a third wheel continually. It didn't matter what their threesome did, from walking along The Strand in Galveston to shopping at The Galleria in Houston, Elizabeth always felt like she was missing a date for their outings. However, Elizabeth endured it because Charles and Jane were just so sickeningly _nice_; Charles was especially accommodating as he paid for any and everything the girls wanted or ate. At first, they openly voiced their misgivings, but he always came up with a new excuse or way to ignore them and pay, so Elizabeth and Jane stopped arguing with him and took his kindness for what it was. Elizabeth was unable to ever stay too long with Mary and Mark, the newlyweds, because Mary's punishment for making a fuss and frightening the living crap out of her family, even though she was a legal adult and wouldn't be living with her parents anymore, was to sit with Faye for all of the visiting hours.

Elizabeth wasn't sure exactly what role Darcy played in the whole scheme of things until the very last day of her spring break before she and Jane drove out to Austin. Since no one was telling her who or how they were paying for the expensive treatment Faye was receiving, Elizabeth cornered one of the nurses while Jane said her good byes to their mother, and asked her point blank if she knew how any of the events came to be.

"Oh, sure, yeah, I know. Um, Dr. Wilson knows a… um… whatshisname… Mr. Da—no, he said to call him Gardiner. Mr. Gardiner knows Dr. Wilson and got your mom transferred here and what not. He's also paying for all the expenses. That's a wonderful man you know." The nurse replied, smiling pleasantly. She could've knocked Elizabeth over with a feather at that point.

"Th-thanks." Elizabeth was able to choke out, still in the process of trying to think lucidly. Once more, Darcy had proven to her what type of man he really was, and she didn't expect it. All Elizabeth had thought he'd done was get Charles to come down, not being the whole mastermind.

"No problem, sweetie." The nurse replied sweetly, going back to her usual business. Elizabeth made a mental note to call her Aunt Maddie as soon as she could to find out the whole story of Darcy's involvement with her mother's case plus what had happened when Jane first called Madeline and Edmund with the devastating of Mary's assumed kidnapping and her mother's heart attack.

When she was a little girl, Elizabeth had always dreamed of a Prince Charming to come take her away to his castle on his stark white steed (or unicorn, because unicorns were awesome); as she grew older, the fairy tale had dropped to the back of her mind like most childhood fantasies. In the irony of it all, Elizabeth couldn't believe she'd gotten a fool in aluminum foil riding atop a wizened gelding named after a detective's sidekick that would take her back to the family mansion that stood majestically in the heart of a magnificent land.

After driving home, Elizabeth and Jane fell back into their old routine with just a few adjustments. Jane commanded the minutes they shared unintentionally by calling Charles every day; Elizabeth was barely able to squeeze in a conversation with their Aunt Maddie between the lovey-dovey calls.

"Oh, he's not going to like you know… and Darcy made us promise not to tell you." Madeline had sighed when Elizabeth asked her the specific role Darcy had played.

"Well, you didn't tip me off – the nurse did. And I don't care." Elizabeth had countered stubbornly, eager to know the story. She was taking the call in a local Starbucks instead of at the apartment she shared with Jane so someone who'd connect the dots wouldn't overhear her.

"Well, all right, just because he's crazy about you and probably won't kill me for squealing. My gravestone better say, 'It was all Elizabeth J. Bennet's fault that she died' if he does get me killed." Madeline had joshed, making Elizabeth sputter and blush indignantly. Elizabeth was embarrassed that Darcy knew about the intimate details of her business, and she also had the sinking feeling he wasn't "crazy" about her anymore like Madeline insisted he was. If Darcy's family was condemning her for something she didn't do based off of the lies of her worst enemy, Elizabeth was pretty sure she wouldn't be very warm towards Darcy.

"Whatever, Liz-Biz, think what you want going down denial river. You already know all of what happened with your mum – Darcy knows Dr. Wilson, got the transfer based off of that acquaintance, and is paying for everything all the while using Edmund's lovely name. His reason behind it, he says, is because he thinks the whole ordeal is his fault. Bless him, I don't know _why_, though. As for what we told Jane when she called, I said we were at a romantic dinner because you were still a bit jetlagged and were at a hotel." Madeline had explained, making Elizabeth's heart ache for Darcy. She knew why he was taking all the blame, or at least had the gist of it. Elizabeth had thanked her aunt and hung up, leaving the Starbucks then for class. Once more, she was struck with the quote running around on the Internet: "I asked for a Prince Charming, but all I got was a fool in aluminum foil."

It had been a fortnight since then, and she'd been trying to contact Darcy in any possible way but kept on getting rerouted to impersonal contacts that he'd never see by Richard's secretary at the Darcy Company. Elizabeth was getting tired of the woman and was on the verge of giving up when the impossible happened yet again.

**A/N**: _Bwahaha. Cliff hanger on top of a short chapter. I'm evil – I'm sorry. But y'all didn't have to wait too long since I was able to ruminate on this chapter for a whole freaking week and get it all planned out, ensuring that it'd be out fast – and y'all finally got a kiss! My Finals went well (I aced my Algebra, I'm so stoked!), so I hope everyone else's did, too. :D And, I forgot last chapter, but – we're over the 100k word marker! Woot! I'm hoping my next chaptered fic will bypass 150K. =w=_

_Okay, now I'm sad. This one only has two, maybe three chapters left plus a small epilogue (because, frankly, I'm not going to drag this fic out with dates and all that). :|_

_~ Tobi_


	15. Engaged to be Something More

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once," but they'll still sue one with no mercy. (Charles Lamb)  
><strong>Songs<strong>: In Love Again by Maria Mena and Surrender by Billy Talent.  
><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
>Fspsarcastic<span>: Thank you for reviewing. :)  
><span>Harriate Slate-ThingHari-Hu<span>: … Yes? xD  
><span>Jelly Babes 101<span>: By "he" I'm assuming you mean Darcy? Keep your fingers crossed. ;P Well, I would if I thought it'd benefit the story, but i can honestly see it dwindling down into nothing. Also, you're very lucky – I don't remember how weddings run and, really, proposing before even one real date… naaah.  
><span>.0<span>: A good turn, I hope. X3  
><span>Scaredwoman<span>: Thank you. :)  
><span>Amandald98<span>: Rant because of the end is close or rant because I won't drag it out with pointless dates? Cool, with virtual aluminum foil I can wrap my virtual Darcy. ;) Lol. Thanks, AP Algebra 2, actually – it's a real pain in my butt. You are very lucky not to have finals!  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Losers don't like unicorns, that's who. JK, lol. Thanks! I'm not sure where I found that quote, but it is pretty awesome. How could you know I'd do well on them? xD  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Ah, I'm glad you loved it. :D I wasn't sure the kiss would come out right. I update as soon as I can, I promise!  
><span>SilverStella<span>: Thank you! I expect no one did, even though I was dropping hints ever since the beginning. xD  
><span>In-the-shadow-4<span>: Thank you so much! :D I've never really had anyone in particular in mind – Richard Armitage and Roger Federer were my closest - but recently I've found Joe Nichols. He has the wavy/somewhat curly hairstyle I've always pictured Darcy with, albeit it is brown and not black. I do update as soon as I can, swear, lol. 

**- Engaged to be Something More -**

Darcy spent his days, after getting back into America, pondering if Elizabeth was mad at him. To him, she certainly had the right to. However, he couldn't help the little bit of hope burning in his chest that maybe, just _maybe_, she'd forgive him again and allow him to take her out some place. Unconsciously, he started planning different dates when he had free time, taking in weather changes and such into consideration; whenever he caught himself, Darcy scowled deeply and knew he had too much time on his hands. To keep his asinine daydreams at bay, Darcy started jogging even more when he could balance it on his schedule. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't because he might see Elizabeth by chance as she was leaving on her of classes or walking around; he was quite unsuccessful.

It was one strange afternoon a fortnight after Spring Break had ended for Elizabeth that Darcy received an eccentric call from his aunt right before he was going to go out for a run.

"William Darcy, I can_not_ believe the gall that-that young brat has!"

Darcy was unable to even greet his aunt before she started rambling; he listened with a bemused smile on.

"How could you choose such a crass little beast in front of dear Anne? You must be bewitched, you must be! How else could you stand the little wench? What a tongue she has! Do you know what she told me? To get the hell out of her apartment! _After_ calling me old! Selfish, _selfish_ girl!"

"Aunt Catherine, are you quite done yet?" Darcy asked at the nearest pause, unsure if his aunt was serious or not. He was also dubious as to how she'd learned of his preference to Elizabeth; certainly, with Anne in the vicinity, Catherine always believed he stared at Anne and ignored everyone else for some reason. All he did was stare out of the windows at the city and wish he were at Pemberley – or even just back in Liverpool or London.

"No. Do you want to hear the rest?" Catherine replied stoutly; Darcy could imagine the righteous frown she had.

"Well, perhaps. Are you going to say any more bollocks about Ellie, or are you going to tell me how you found out I fancied her and why you visited her?" He inquired, not positive if his aunt was listening or not.

"Such a selfish boy! Has Penny really raised you to be such a horrid creature, or is it your dearest Ellie's influence on you?"

Darcy grinned, holding back his laughter; he should've expected as much from his father's sister.

"Aunt Catherine, it was _you_, not Mrs. R or Ellie, that taught me to be egotistical." He teased, reclining further into the sofa in his apartment.

"Blasphemy, I say! What a mouth you've grown!"

"_Aunt Catherine_." Darcy sighed, interrupting her new tangent before she could begin it. He knew Catherine would try to elongate their conversation by any means how to keep him waiting.

"Very well, child, I'll answer your questions. You're quite transparent when it comes to loving, William; it's a shame. You really thought I wouldn't notice you disappearing after Charlotte said Elizabeth was feeling unwell? Gregory might have been there, but that doesn't mean I keep my eye on him every second! Honestly! You discredit me. In addition to that, I'm not _blind_, child. I saw you touching Elizabeth underneath the table that first day she was here. Plus, Richard has a pension for gossiping about you to me. I've heard it all, my dear boy; I've heard it _all_." At the end of her little speech, Catherine cackled in the ear of a mortified Darcy.

"Now, don't say you'll 'kill that bloody, poxy, infuriating man' because if he hadn't blithered to me at how absolutely atrocious you are at chasing after women (that are _so_ beneath your stature, power, money, and name), you wouldn't be in the prime position you are now." Catherine continued after her laughter had abated, clearly pleased with herself. Darcy was glad he was sitting for the conversation; he was positive he would've needed to recline by this point if he hadn't.

"Aunt Catherine, _what_ have you _done_?" He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

"Nonsense, my dear child, I haven't answered your other question yet!"

"Aunt Catherine, _what_ _have you done_?" Darcy repeated, growling into the phone. He'd kill both his aunt and Richard if it were their fault Elizabeth detested him now.

"Fine, if you must know immediately. I went and visited the girl – I'm trying to find your apartment now, by the way. The GPS sent my poor driver in the wrong direction, and we've stopped for gas now." Catherine replied airily, blatantly avoiding the subject Darcy most dearly wanted to hear. He didn't even lecture her for the inanity that was randomly showing up on someone's doorstep, expecting him or her to be there and welcome you in.

"Elizabeth was in, you know. Said she was about to go out and all but had a few minutes. Anyways, I questioned her on her affections for you. The little tart replied she'd do as she pleased and wouldn't promise me to never see slash converse with you again."

"_Aunt Catherine_!" Darcy erupted, jumping to his feet, beginning to pace and run his hand through his hair.

"Bloody _hell_, you don't just – after showing up unannounced at – you can't just do that type of thing – wait. What'd she say?" He stopped, backtracking. Had Catherine said "would" or "wouldn't"? The little candle fire of hope started to burn brighter within Darcy's chest at the possibilities.

"Fitzwilliam Benjamin Darcy, you will _not_ get shirty with your aunt like that! You may be a grown man now, but I do expect some respect and not slag." Catherine retorted, inwardly laughing.

"Yes, ma'am, I apologize. What'd Ellie say?" Darcy replied quickly, knowing Catherine would abstain form telling him anything until he acquiesced.

"She said, and I quote, 'I will not agree to any of your absurd propositions – _orders_, I should say – just because you think some half-incest crap is good for Fitzwilliam! I won't promise to never talking or seeing him again just because some old woman thinks I'm not rich enough for him! If Fitzwilliam wants to see me, I'll see him. Good day to you, and get the hell out of my apartment, please. _Now_.' The blinkered little twat all but shoved me out her door." Catherine whined, but Darcy could tell she wasn't displeased.

"You like her." He smirked into his cell, an inferno burning inside him.

"I never said any of the sort. I said she had a sharp tongue." Catherine sniffed in denial.

"You _like_ her." Darcy pressed, laughing. He couldn't believe it.

"If she is to be wed to you, Elizabeth, despite all her shortcomings about being poor, not up to your standard, clearly unfit to be mistress of Pemberley—"

"We're not in a period in which any of that matters, Aunt Catherine. You like Ellie, admit it." Darcy interrupted, beaming at the wall.

"I shall not admit any such thing! I will just say, if you choose her over Anne even with all that falls short of my beautiful, although stupid, girl, I won't actively nor outwardly despise her." Catherine retorted, sounding scandalized.

"Bollocks. You like Ellie." He countered, having too much fun cornering his aunt.

"I'm not visiting you any more, young man. Good bye." She snapped, clearly miffed.

"I love you, too, Aunt Catherine."

"Don't you dare screw things up after what I've done for you, my dear boy."

"Promise not to do anything like this again?"

"I will not agree to any of your absurd propositions – _orders_, I should say – just because you think some half-cocked man can lucidly woo a young woman!" Catherine echoed Elizabeth words, but hers were softened by exasperation instead of sharpened.

Darcy snorted and hung up, wanting to run a marathon. Elizabeth didn't loathe him at all; hell, it sounded like she'd welcome his company, even!

- (Crappy break line) -

Elizabeth wanted to positively _scream_.

What the heck, she could.

Grabbing the nearest pillow and hoping its' ears were no where near her mouth, Elizabeth pressed her face into the pitiable thing and screamed into it. Again and again she let it out into that poor, poor pillow before throwing it back onto the couch and collapsing onto it.

What a _maddening_ woman. Such audacity, too! Feeling her ire building again, Elizabeth grabbed the pillow from beneath her bum and shrieked once more into it.

"I'm sorry, little pillow. I don't mean to make you deaf." Elizabeth mumbled, staring at the raggedy, threadbare thing and making a mental note to get new throw pillows for the sofa ASAP. She tossed it over to the other pillow and groaned, glaring up at the ceiling; it looked freakishly happy and white. Elizabeth thought back for the past couple of weeks, wondering what she could've done to piss off anyone up above that warranted a visit from Lady Catherine and her insane notions. All she'd been doing differently recently was running in the morning and admiring The Running Man! Just because she fancied Darcy didn't mean she couldn't admire nature's beauty (in the form of a man that always had a hood drawn up over his head and sunglasses covering his eyes like he was some sort of celebrity).

"I'm innocent, I swear!" Elizabeth told the unsympathetic ceiling, pouting grandly. It wasn't _her_ fault for having eyes, nor was it her fault Lady Catherine seemed to think Darcy had proposed to her! Elizabeth's pout deepened to a frightening scowl as she stewed over the meeting with distaste.

- (Fifteen minutes previously) -

At the incessant, frantic pounding on her door, Elizabeth pulled it open fully expecting Jane to be there, thrusting a bejeweled hand at her and screaming with joy. The sight Elizabeth saw, however, was one she never would have even dreamed happening: Lady Catherine of the Rosings Hotel chain, also the aunt of Darcy and Richard, was irately standing on her doorstep in the hall of her apartment complex.

"May I come in?" Catherine sniffed, eyeing what she could of the innards of the apartment with a displeased look.

"Um, sure, I mean—" Elizabeth wasn't able to finish before Catherine pushed her way inside, sneering at the quaint abode.

"This is the shack your imprudent parents pay for? Surely, couldn't they afford just a bit more for their eldest daughters?"

Elizabeth's jaw actually dropped at the gall of Catherine.

"Ex_cuse_ me, but Jane and I pay for this apartment _ourselves_. And my parents aren't 'imprudent'; you've never met them!" She cried defensively, crossing her arms over her chest. Catherine gave a disbelieving sort of noise before giving the living room a once over, sending the sofa and lounge chair a discontented glare before turning back to Elizabeth.

"You must know why I am here, girl." Catherine said out of the blue.

"I most certainly do not, Lady Catherine." Elizabeth replied a bit snootily, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't play with me, girl; you must have been to start the rumors that you and my most beloved nephew are engaged!" Catherine's lip curled at the mere mention of an engagement while Elizabeth became as white as a sheet.

"En—me—Fitz—_what_—" She stuttered, completely and wholly taken by surprise. Elizabeth had to grab the door behind her for support. _Engaged_? As in, engaged to be _married_? Oddly, Catherine allowed Elizabeth to collect her thoughts before plowing on.

"I must know this is true or not. It must be impossible." She stated, boring holes into the door above Elizabeth's head, making the latter feel sorry for it.

"If you say it's impossible, then it must be so. Your visit here, therefore, is invalid." Elizabeth countered with a somewhat weak voice, still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of being married to Darcy. What a fairy tale!

What a _dream_. Elizabeth was shocked by her thoughts and inability to find anything wrong with them.

"Impudent girl! Tell me, are you or are you not engaged to my nephew?" Catherine crowed, finally meeting Elizabeth's eyes.

"Which one?" Elizabeth sneered, glaring right back.

"Fitzwilliam, obviously!" Catherine scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Which one?" Elizabeth repeated, smirking at how flustered Catherine was becoming.

"Fitzwilliam _Darcy_, child!" Catherine hissed, starting to pace. Elizabeth recognized this as something Darcy had picked up from her when he was frustrated.

"No, I am not engaged to Darcy." Elizabeth replied coolly, flushing slightly. If she was married or engaged to him, she had a feeling kisses like the one he'd given her at Pemberley would be a regular occurrence.

"And will you promise to not even enter any such commitment with him, in addition to not speaking nor seeing my nephew ever again?" Catherine's words brought Elizabeth harshly back to reality; she was no longer at Pemberley in Darcy's strong arms but in her apartment dealing with his senseless aunt.

"I will not agree to any of your absurd propositions – _orders_, I should say – just because you think some half-incest crap is good for Fitzwilliam! I won't promise to never talking or seeing him again just because some old woman thinks I'm not rich enough for him! If Fitzwilliam wants to see me, I'll see him. Good day to you, and get the hell out of my apartment, please. _Now_." Elizabeth snapped, through with Catherine's crap, ushering her boorishly to the door and ignoring anything the crazy old bat called over her shoulder.

- (Present) -

Elizabeth jumped when her phone in her back pocket started vibrating and belching out one of the tunes it'd come with for ring tones.

"Hey, where are you, girl? Our shift is starting soon, and I don't see you anywhere!" The text from Selina read. Elizabeth cursed quietly, shoving her phone back into her pocket and jumping up, almost forgetting to lock the door on her way out. She dashed down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, suddenly glad for taking up jogging, bolting out of the apartment complex and down the street. Cursing her penny loafers to eternity for hurting her feet, Elizabeth had to slow down from her mad dash to speed walking to not mow anyone down or accidentally go across the street when the pedestrian light signal had the giant red hand up instead of the walking guy. By forgetting about the car (_how_ could she have?), Elizabeth was able to skip the traffic and get to the Barnes and Noble she worked at with Selina right on time. Selina was a classmate that had become her friend, and coworker, by getting Elizabeth the job at Barnes and Noble.

"Thank you _so_ much for texting me, Selina, I – holy fire truck!" Elizabeth yelped as she felt herself being hefted up a great height into the air and spun around.

"Who in the – _Fitzwilliam_?" It almost felt live déjà vu to Elizabeth.

- (Crappy break line) -

Darcy couldn't ignore his need to _do something_ and took off at a breakneck pace out of his apartment complex down the stairs into the sidewalk before going back in and up said stairs to lock his door. After a visit to Pemberley, he always forgot he actually needed to lock his abode, and with the state his mind was in, Darcy couldn't help but laugh at himself inwardly while having a deadpan on the outside. He pulled the hood of his sleeveless hoodie over his head and took off again, still using the same quick pace.

Darcy had gone a few blocks, heading towards the UT campus when he saw her in his peripheral vision, did a double take, and practically crashed into a man in a suit yelling into his phone. He went back to the corner of the street where the cross walk was, jogging in place because all his excess energy had returned at the mere sight of Elizabeth. Darcy could see her walking down the sidewalk swiftly, looking hurried, but then lost her when a lorry (1) took a turn in front of him and obscured his view. As soon as it passed, the red hand turned to the walking man and Darcy took off, giving the one finger salute to a person taking a right on red that nearly ran him over, ignoring the mad shouting and honking the driver gave to his back. He'd seen Elizabeth going down the street; he knew he had.

Darcy scanned each and every person as quickly as he could, running down the sidewalk and assessing that not a single one of them was Elizabeth (too tall, too chubby, not the right hair color, voice to squeaky, et cetera). He'd nearly given up hope Elizabeth was still walking and hadn't turned into a store when he saw someone who was the right height, someone who had the right hair color, someone who did have the bum he'd stared at quite a few times, and someone who had the right voice next to a woman that had curly black hair plus striking green eyes. The woman whom Elizabeth was with eyed him as he came up, as she was facing Darcy while Elizabeth's back was to him, beginning to reach up to warn Elizabeth when Darcy thought, "Stuff caution," and grabbed Elizabeth around the waist.

Darcy couldn't help but beam when Elizabeth cried out in shock, twirling around with her thighs and legs pinned to his chest; Elizabeth's hands had waved around searching for support until she found his shoulders, settling upon them.

"The one and only, love." Darcy said softly when he put Elizabeth down, the momentum he'd had from running having carried them a few yards away from the black haired woman. The said woman looked alarmed and was pulling her cell phone out to call the authorities before Elizabeth turned around and threw her arms around Darcy's middle, snuggling into his embrace.

"Thank you so, so, _so_ much, Fitzwilliam! I – we owe you so much; I can't even imagine-"

"What?" Darcy interrupted Elizabeth, wondering if he'd heard her right through the muffled sound of her talking into his chest. Why was she thanking him?

"For… for everything. The transfer. Paying all the bills. Getting Charlie down. Getting Mary and Mark to reveal themselves early. For getting me calmed down and—oh no, wait, you haven't talked to your aunt recently, have you? Lady Catherine?" Elizabeth leaned back, gazing up at the imploring silver eyes. Darcy's face lit up as he grinned, holding back his mirth.

"Terribly sorry about her." He snorted, remembering the end of the conversation and the absolute glee he'd felt; he wasn't sorry, not one bit.

"No you're not! Jerk! Old fart!" Elizabeth quipped, pulling one arm from around Darcy to slap his chest.

"Okay, I'm not, not really, because—"

"Lizzie, I'm sorry to break you and your boyfriend up, but Nick says he doesn't care if you haven't seen each other in five million years, he wants you in now. He also says the only thing going on between the bookshelves should be pointing out where books are and the only thing happening on the counter should be business." Selina, the black haired woman, said cheekily. Elizabeth and Darcy both flushed, immediately separating; neither had noticed the Barnes and Noble manager going outside to speak to Selina.

"He's not—I'm not—it hasn't been five million years!" Elizabeth squeaked, all coherent thoughts gone. The thought of dating Darcy was way too close to trying to forget about the subject of marrying him.

"We're… it's… I'll call you, Ellie." Darcy mumbled, not looking at Selina at all, already a good few paces away when Elizabeth realized the fault in his logic.

"Wait, Fitzwilliam! You don't have my number!" She called, face still hot and growing warmer at Selina's snickers. Darcy spun around, smirking.

"Mark gave it to me ages ago on July fourth." He called back before turning back around. It was then Elizabeth realized Darcy was The Running Man minus the sunglasses; it hit her like a slap in the face. Selina had to lead her into the store, as Elizabeth was too stunned to really move.

"Okay, you have to spill, Lizzie. He calls you 'Ellie', which I've never heard anyone call you before, not even your dad who has the most nicknames for you, he picked you up after running like mad to catch you, and both of y'all blushed like no tomorrow when I came to get you." Selina said, still snickering, taking Elizabeth to an abandoned customer service station.

"He can't like me, Selina, otherwise he would've called before." Elizabeth said, then wishing she hadn't, recalling all the memories dealing with Darcy. The Fourth of July was when he was at the peak of denial and trying not to fancy her, and then both of them would've been too embarrassed to call after the New Years scene. But, after Pemberley, if he were interested, wouldn't Darcy have called her?

"Lizzie, either you're blind, dense, in denial, or all three. Did you see that man? Did you not get tackle glomped by him? Did you not hug him? Did you not see his face when I said he was your boyfriend?" Selina said, sounding a bit in awe of how stupid Elizabeth was being.

"I have seen him, I did get 'tackle glomped' by him, and I did hug him, but I didn't get to see his face." Elizabeth laughed, trying to come up with reasons why Darcy wouldn't call after coercing her to stay at Pemberley. There must have been a reason to why he wouldn't have called, so she racked her brains for something, anything that would clue her in on it. Then, it struck her: shame. Darcy had looked so apologetic, so melancholy when she'd left, and her Aunt Maddie had said he thought the whole ordeal with her mother was his fault.

"Oh my, is that you, Eliza?"

Elizabeth groaned mentally at the sharp, high voice of Caroline Bingley.

"It is! My dear Eliza, is the man you're talking about… oh, what's his name… Wickham? I know how well you two got along. It reminds me of how close Darcy and I've become recently." Caroline said icily, wearing a tight smile. She'd seen Darcy running away from Elizabeth, but she hadn't seen the scene before. Caroline, being Caroline, was still trying to squash any hopes Elizabeth had about getting together with Darcy in addition to heckling Charles until he told her where Darcy was so she could "coincidentally" run into him. She had been on her way to a place where she knew the notorious Running Man made his daily run, having a hunch he was Darcy, when she'd spotted the man himself.

"So his name is Fitzwilliam Wickham? Such a handsome man!" Selina said, smiling smugly at Elizabeth like she'd just caught her in a lie. Caroline slowly paled in fury at her words.

"No, his name is Fitzwilliam _Darcy_, Selina; _Wickham_ is a complete and utter douche bag. Carrie, I'm delighted you seemed to have gotten off of Fitzwiliam's 'I hate this woman' list. How close have you gotten? Does he actually hold _conversations_ with you now?" Elizabeth said sweetly, smiling broadly at Caroline; she wasn't the least bit unconsciously threatened by the woman anymore. Now it was Elizabeth who knew Darcy better, so she could call Caroline out on any lie she breathed.

"How cute. You think just because he talks to you currently means he's not just trying to shag and be done with you? A man like Darcy would never lower his standards to be with a _girl_ like you." Caroline shot back, equally as saccharine.

"Carrie, if there's anyone Fitzwilliam would screw and leave, it'd be you. However, if you knew him at all, you'd know he'd never do anything of the sort now." Elizabeth laughed, showing off her new confidence in Darcy. Caroline scowled, narrowing her eyes.

"Hey, um, interrupting a catfight here – Fitzwilliam Darcy, if all he wanted to do was fuck Lizzie's brains out, wouldn't turn into a stuttering schoolboy – which was totally adorable, by the way – by me alluding to it. So, honey, I'm pretty sure you're delusional and or a jealous bitch. Probably both." Selina said, shrugging innocently. With the look on her face, Elizabeth wouldn't have been surprised if Caroline had hissed.

"You may have Darcy's infatuation right now, but no one in his family would accept you. _No one_." Caroline said, after a few heartbeats of loaded silence, stalking away.

"Hey, um, Carrie? Ritz and Georgie _love_ me, and we don't live in the 18th century any more!" Elizabeth called to Caroline's back, giggling with Selina.

"Jealous ex?" Selina asked once Caroline was out of earshot, curious.

"She's never even kissed him." Elizabeth replied, quite haughtily, a faint blush forming on her cheeks as she once more remembered the feel of Darcy's—

"Look at you, you're blushing; you've so got a crush! Y'all are so cute!" Selina teased, interrupting Elizabeth's wandering thoughts.

"I am not!" Elizabeth snapped, turning even redder. Was she really that see-through?

"Yes you are! Nick, hey Nick – Lizzie's got a crush!" Selina called to the manager as he walked by, wearing a wicked grin. Nick glanced around to see the store was basically empty and changed his course to be with the two college girls behind the counter.

"Really? Is it the boyfriend she hasn't seen in five million years? Do tell." Nick sniggered, and, to Elizabeth's humiliation, Selina told him everything she knew.

"I hate you." Elizabeth mumbled, trying to hide her rosy cheeks.

"Maybe, but you _looooooove_ Fitzwiliam Darcy! Such a fancy name, too. Is he rich and English along with being handsome?" Nick crooned, smiling wildly.

"I'm ignoring y'all." Elizabeth said, turning her back onto the pair and spotting an elderly man who was looking around like he didn't have the slightest idea where he should be.

"I hope you don't ignore lover-boy Fitzwilliam when he calls you!" Selina ribbed.

"Actually, I'm leaving y'all. That guy looks like he needs help. Good-bye." She left, quite happily in fact, ignoring any mentions of Darcy from Selina and Nick until her shift was over. Elizabeth departed quickly to be able to get home, change, and get to her afternoon class on time (_not_ to run home to talk to Darcy in private like Nick and Selina ragged). Class came and went, but no call from a mysterious number came until nearly nine at night.

"Hello?" Elizabeth asked as soon as she picked up, holding her breath.

"Ellie?" Darcy sounded a bit hesitant, like he wasn't sure if it was her or not. Elizabeth smiled warmly, curling her legs up to her chest and leaning back into the headboard of her bed; she'd just gotten around to climbing into bed when her cell had vibrated.

"Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth said, butterflies forming in her stomach.

"Um, yes… I'm sorry for not calling sooner, only I had to cover for another intern and… well, yeah. I… are you possibly free tomorrow for lunch or something? We need to talk, and not over the phone."

Elizabeth had to hold back the giggles bubbling up from her stomach. Darcy was so freaking _cute_ and so different from the last time; all his arrogance was gone.

"I've got about two hours between my morning class and my shift at Barnes and Noble. So, depending on where you want to go, I've got about and hour and a half; is that long enough?" She questioned, unable to stop smiling. A plan was forming in her mind, but she wasn't telling Darcy.

"Seems adequate. I could get you something and we could just walk around campus, if you'd like." Darcy's confidence was growing, that much was obvious to Elizabeth. She pursed her lips, wondering if she'd sound too… _posh_ if she denied his walking request.

"Um, I'll be on my feet my whole shift at Barnes and Noble, so could you maybe—"

"Of course, I'm sorry. I should've realized. Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go?" Darcy interrupted, cursing himself mentally.

"Oh, no, it's alright, Fitzwilliam. I didn't expect you to think of that. Uuum…nothing fancy, 'cause I'll be in school clothes… is Subway cool with you? There's one a lot of students go to for lunch right off of campus." Elizabeth hurried to try to keep him from blaming himself, knowing that was what he was doing. She'd have to correct that horrible habit of his because, while sometimes is could be his fault, it wasn't always so like Darcy seemed to believe.

"Brilliant. I'll find it. What class do you have in the morning?" Darcy asked; Elizabeth could literally hear him smirking because of the almost silent snort he gave.

"Professor Wentworth teaches my - class in the - Building. (2)" The butterflies elevated higher in her stomach at the thought of someone such as Darcy waiting outside her building. What rumors would come about if he actually did!

"Alright, then, it's a date. I'll see you tomorrow, Ellie."

"Later, Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth said while thinking, "You most certainly will."

- (Crappy break line) -

While Elizabeth wasn't certain what time exactly Darcy started out on his morning jog or where he came from, she knew she was always a good fifty feet or so behind him usually fifteen minutes into her own morning jog. She decided to sprint to a tree she knew he passed a good half hour before she usually left to wait for him up in the branches. The other joggers that noticed her sometimes gave her a funny look (Professor Wentworth was apparently an early jogger and waved cheerfully). Elizabeth waited until she saw Darcy coming up the path, hood up and sunglasses donned, before jumping down from the low branch she'd been sitting on for a while.

"Fitzwilliam!" Elizabeth called, not too surprised Darcy didn't seem to notice; as he got closer, she saw the telltale wires slipping down his chest to his pocket. She stepped out into the path with a wide grin, blocking him from continuing on; it took him a few seconds to place her face with the object in his way.

"Ellie?" Darcy inquired, slowing down and stopping in front of her, plucking the headphones from his ears.

"Don't wear sunglasses; your eyes are very nice, Fitzwilliam. Also, they affect your balance." Elizabeth tutted, plucking the offending item from his face.

"You're up this early?" He wasn't really processing that Elizabeth had interrupted his run. Darcy was certain he'd never seen her before, but it was painfully evident she knew he ran and about what time every morning.

"No, you're dreaming, about to be woken by your alarm clock." Elizabeth scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"If I was asleep, I'd be doing this – just harder, longer, and… more _probing_." Darcy teased, bending down to Elizabeth's level for a fraction of a second, pressing a gentle peck to her lips. He wore a self-satisfied smile at the hot blush forming on her cheeks. Elizabeth couldn't believe the teasing Darcy was back – all the while taking more liberties. Impossible man.

"Well, screw you, Old Fart." She huffed, making an adorable scene for Darcy by placing her hands on her hips.

"You started it." He shrugged, smile growing wider.

"I did _not_!" Elizabeth cried, jaw dropped in objection.

"Love, your exact words were, 'No, you're dreaming, about to be woken by your alarm clock.' Don't start something you can't finish. Now, do you want to join me for a walk, as I'm sure your little legs can't—"

"Finish that sentence and die." She threatened, waggling a finger in Darcy's face. He didn't voice his thoughts on what good that finger could be doing but instead just pretended to nip at it.

"… As I'm sure you can't keep up with my stride _nor_ take me on." Darcy finished, not able to control his delight at her outrage.

"I could so do both!" Elizabeth countered, continuing to keep her finger in Darcy's face just to be annoying. She didn't expect him to catch her hand and prod at her slender bicep.

"Look at this – your puny arms couldn't lift Rollie Pollie. And," Darcy paused, using his grip on Elizabeth's hand to pull her to his side, poking his hip into her side. "Your legs come up pretty short compared to mine."

"I've lifted Rollie Pollie! Shorter doesn't mean slower, Old Fart; I could be the fastest woman on Earth." Elizabeth pouted, not taking notice that Darcy had officially conned her into walking with him, hand in hand until a female jogger stared as she passed them.

"But you're not; however, you're the cutest thing alive when you're irritated and pouting." Darcy sniggered, tightening his grip on Elizabeth's hand when she had the knee-jerk reaction of wanting to pull away.

"… Shut up." Elizabeth huffed, almost saying, "I am not," but stopping when she realized that was what he wanted.

"What did you want to talk about, on the phone?" She asked after a few paces, glancing up at him; it was a strange sight to see his wavy locks covered.

"Far too serious a subject and far too little planning on my part as of yet. I was going to think about it on my run, but I've been otherwise occupied now – cheerfully, though." Darcy said, discerning her stare and daring her to do something about it. Elizabeth took his silent challenge, knocking the fabric back for him while sticking her tongue out.

"You always need a good, long speech, eh?" Elizabeth joked, taking a leaf out of his book from when Richard was around and mocking, elbowing him in the ribs. Or what Elizabeth assumed were Darcy's ribs - she couldn't tell if she was too low or too high since Darcy's entire torso felt the same to her (unforgiving and hard).

"N—well… I've never quite _planned_ them before, but I guess I always do get a bit long-winded and ahead of myself when I'm passionate about the subject. Anyways, I don't want to ruin this mood we've got here." He admitted, tones light with laughter directed at himself. As his beginning words struck a somber note, Elizabeth realized that her joke had indeed rung true to their past.

"Fitzwilliam, I think I know why." She said softly, reliving the memories; it wasn't always vehemence that fueled his speeches. They were a defense mechanism, another bad habit she'd have to break.

"Ellie, why don't you save your personality and psyche observations for later, hmm? How about you tell me why everyone is watching you and me when they haven't before?" His voice was light, but Elizabeth could tell Darcy was quite staid. She looked around to see Darcy was right; everyone that actually looked at things when they were walking or jogging around was staring at them.

"They're, um… well, you've quite a reputation around campus with the ladies. They call you The Running Man. Bets run around the school about when you'd ever take your hood and sunglasses off and show off a handsome face to match your f—your body." Elizabeth explained, chewing on her lower lip. She knew she'd get hounded as soon as Darcy had left her vicinity.

"You were going to say 'fine', weren't you, Ellie?" A wide, arrogant grin settled on Darcy's lips.

"Was not!"

"Was so!"

"You're full of yourself, Old Fart; that's not good for your mental stability!" Elizabeth weakly defended her fib, pulling away from Darcy.

"Bollocks. You've already pulled that one on me, love. I'm right, you're wrong, and you know it." He replied, drawing her back to his side for a half-hug and not removing his arm after the squeeze.

"Shut up, Old Fart."

Darcy just laughed.

"My pleasure."

It was a platonic silence that followed the rest of their walk around the campus. At the end, Elizabeth invited Darcy back to her apartment so she could shower, change, and show him exactly which building she'd be coming from (and what door). Darcy didn't make any of the lewd comments that had popped up in his mind after she mentioned showering, not sure if they were at the point yet; he reasoned they, or at least Elizabeth, weren't as they hadn't had an "official" date happen yet.

"Your apartment is cute." Darcy commented once Elizabeth had showered and exited her room, changed into a pair of jeans and a nice shirt.

"Oh, God, what did you do?" She said, looking around quickly for anything abnormal in the den. The only thing she could spot right off the bat was the TV was turned to the History Channel instead of Cartoon Network or something akin to it because she had told him to watch something in her absence.

"I made tea?" Darcy offered, gesturing to the kitchen where a steaming mug sat for Elizabeth.

"We have tea? I had no idea. Um, thanks, I guess." She laughed, going into the small kitchen and sniffing cautiously at the mug.

"I didn't poison it, you know." He said, turning off the TV in addition to rising to his feet from the floor; Darcy hadn't sat on any furniture, saying he didn't want to get his sweaty smell all over it. Elizabeth had shrugged, inwardly asking herself how she'd ever thought the man was so vile.

"That I do know – it's the flavor I don't." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, trying to identify the spice she smelled.

"Cinnamon. I assume that's Charlie's influence if you've never had any tea before; he's addicted to cinnamon tea. How's Jane doing?" Darcy inquired thoughtfully, joining Elizabeth in the kitchen and leaning against the counter opposite of her.

"Even though assuming makes an ass out of you and me, you'd be correct. She's been great but a bit annoying; she and Charlie are always talking on the phone. I have no minutes anymore because of them! I'm glad we have unlimited texting, or else I'd be flat out of those, too. Do you know they send emails and _letters_ to each other, too?" Elizabeth snorted, picking the mug up and taking a wary sip. It didn't taste too bad, but it definitely wasn't her favorite beverage.

"That's why he hasn't emailed me every week." Darcy commented, not sounding too surprised.

"Somebody's jealous." Elizabeth snickered, glancing at the clock on the oven and starting at the time it presented. As she rushed Darcy out the door after dumping the soiled mugs in the sink for washing later, he couldn't help but admit to himself that he was envious of Charles; Charles was dating his Benet girl while Darcy himself wasn't. _Yet_. It was on his "To Do" list, among few other things.

"So, do you have any idea why your aunt would think we're engaged?" Elizabeth asked after they both were in the car she and Jane shared, going back to the UT campus. Darcy was glad he wasn't driving, as he was sure he would've swerved into someone else's lane and caused an accident.

"Engaged? As in, engaged to be married?" He stuttered in shock. Darcy knew his aunt was imaginative, but this was beyond anything else she'd ever concocted.

"There is no other 'engaged'. Didn't she tell you?" Elizabeth pried, curious. Darcy wasn't much of an actor from what she'd seen of him, and he looked genuinely shell-shocked. She found it a bit ironic he had the same reaction she'd had.

"I… no, she didn't. Bloody hell, I'm going to kill her and Ritz. You feel free to quote me when the police come knocking." Darcy huffed, glaring at his lap; he had the most infuriating, meddling relatives that thought they did him good when they probably were just making a bigger mess of things.

"And you thought my relatives were bad?" Elizabeth joked, remembering one of his feeble objections at not wanting to fancy her like he did. Instead of making Darcy laugh or make light of the subject, it made him scowl.

"I'm off my rocker." Darcy grumbled sourly.

"Hey, you know what, do you want to be engaged?" Elizabeth asked, coming up with an idea that might brighten Darcy's suddenly foul mood. He choked, looking at her suspiciously, not sure if she wasn't off her rocker, too.

"I'll take that stare as one of awe and that you'd love to be engaged. Fitzwilliam Darcy, will you agree to be engaged to be something more with me? I think I can find a Honey Nut Cherrio ring in the back seat somewhere…" Elizabeth grinned roguishly at Darcy, pulling into the campus parking lot. It took him until she parked to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"You know what, stuff them. Yes, Ellie, I agree to be 'engaged to be something more' to you." Darcy chortled, shaking on it. This time, he knew she was flirting and not just rising to the challenge of arguing with him.

"Okay, um, do you want me to look for that Cheerio? Because my class is starting in about five minutes and—"

"No, no, go ahead. Don't let me keep you." Darcy interrupted, exiting the car. Elizabeth did the same, showing him to the building she'd be leaving in addition to what door she'd be using with three minutes to go before her class started. As soon as she was in the building, nosy women accosted Elizabeth with questions about The Running Man (What was his name?) and why she was with him, showing him the - Building (Was he attending next semester? How did she know him? Were they an item or was he a free agent?); in the end, Elizabeth was ten minutes late to her class.

- (Crappy break line) -

Elizabeth tried to concentrate in her class and take coherent, legitimate notes, she really did; however, one does not simply do that when most people, males included, were giving her odd looks. It was beyond disturbing when class let out that, instead of packing up like normal, some people Elizabeth didn't even remotely know walked over and tried to talk to her. Interrogate would be a better word to use as they were suspicious to why she, of all people, knew The Running Man. Selina was a dear and fended off most people with a cool glare; she was one of those people who you just didn't mess with once she gave you _the look_.

"You need to spill, Lizzie. With yesterday's scene and now with the rumor mill foaming at the mouth about y'all, I think I deserve to know first hand before I get some cracked up story." Selina ordered as the girls were exiting the - Building.

"When you two get married, I call dibs on Maid of Honor." A giant, absurdly smug grin lit up her face, causing Elizabeth to look to where Selina was; there stood Darcy beneath a tree, his back to them currently, talking on his phone. He was easily identifiable from college boys because of his height and the way he dressed.

"You're the third to say that. Why does everyone try calling the Maid of Honor for our wedding? - That is, if one ever happens. Which it probably won't." Elizabeth grumbled, turning red and looking back at her friend. Indeed, Charlotte had first called the position, followed by Jane – and that was before she'd ever admitted openly to liking Darcy!

"Lizzie, he's been basically following you like a love-struck puppy, and you've been swimming up 'Denial River' while spacing out and blushing way too much to be healthy. Go now, child, and prepare all the good dish for me at Barnes and Noble." Selina replied, in a parody of a sage, wearing her cat ate the canary smile as she walked away. Elizabeth huffed, trying to be vexed with her friend unsuccessfully, going over to Darcy.

"… Georgie. I'm sure if you just talk to her that she'll understand why you couldn't turn your report in on time. … No, Georgie, you're overreacting – she's not a monster. Just go talk to her. Don't make me fly up there to talk to her for you." Darcy was threatening when Elizabeth reached him, not noticing her. Elizabeth tuned out the rest of the conversation, not wanting to eavesdrop on what was probably a grade problem, politely not saying or doing anything until Darcy finished he call with, "Good girl. I love you, too. Bye, sweetheart."

Darcy started when he finally noticed Elizabeth next to him, staring up at the tree's leaves as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"I didn't hear a word, promise." Elizabeth said, mistaking his facial expression for one of disapproval.

"It's not that – I mean, next time just let me know you're here. It could've waited until later." Darcy mumbled, knowing his words were preposterous while he was speaking.

"I'm sure Georgie agrees." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him, smirking.

"I thought you didn't hear a word." He accused good-naturedly, chuckling slightly. The only reply Darcy got was an impish smile and half-shrug.

"Come on, I'll lead the way. Do you know how much trouble you've cost me?" She inquired, shooting Darcy a soft look to she him she wasn't angry with him, beginning to walk down the trail that would lead to Subway.

"Oh, really? Do tell." He replied, bereft of the contact he wanted; to remedy this, Darcy plucked Elizabeth's hand from her side, weaving his larger fingers with her more delicate ones. For one who usually loathed public displays of affection, Darcy didn't mind one jot when it concerned Elizabeth; in fact, he welcomed it with open arms, often enacting it himself.

"Well, you see, all the things I told you earlier about the girls around campus fancying you? Remember that? Well, now that someone has broken the ice with you, they all want to know if you're single, what your real name is - all those things. I was late to class because of them." Elizabeth explained, smile turning shy when Darcy pulled her closer, chuckling darkly.

"I hope you told them I've warts on my feet, smell like rubbish, that my real name is Bob Smith, and other similar lies to ward the off." Darcy joshed, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I told them politely to go away – in not so polite words." Elizabeth couldn't help but grin again, laughing on the inside. She blamed Charlotte and Selina for this behavior because she knew she couldn't have picked it up form Jane.

"I wouldn't doubt it. While we're talking about curious people, I apologize on Caroline's behalf – for everything from the very beginning; she's… well, she's Caroline." Darcy said, having heard of Caroline's actions through the brother she complained to.

"Why are you apologizing?" Elizabeth asked, genuinely curious and a bit thankful since the topic was a gentle way to introduce her concerns for Darcy. He opened his mouth but no words came for a minutes as they walked; Elizabeth wished she was taller so she could've seen his expression more clearly. She was positive one could see the gears of Darcy's mind working through his eyes; for the first time in her life, Elizabeth saw a good use for high heels.

"Well, for one, Caroline never will, and for two, it's my fault she attacks you in the first place. If it weren't for me—"

"Stop right there, Fitzwilliam Benjamin Darcy. It's not _your_ fault Caroline set her eyes on you, nor is it your fault she's a total and utter bitch. The one who lays at fault is _Caroline_ – and _only_ Caroline. Ever since I stopped judging you, you've been, essentially, apologizing nonstop for things you have no control over. I'm pretty sure you've got other things you're sorry for, so go ahead and list them now." Elizabeth interrupted, vexed. She could understand his guilty conscious, but se didn't like it nor how it came about. How could she have ever thought Wickham was better than Darcy?

"I'm sorry for my aunt – she lost her marbles ages ago. I'm sorry for what happened to your mum. I'm sorry for what you have to go through just because I talk to you. I'm still sorry for not informing Jane about why Charles left; I'm also still sorry for being an arse around you when we first met. I'm sorry for Wickham drugging you. I'm sorry for being an arrogant fool." Darcy reeled off, not once looking at Elizabeth. He honestly felt everything he'd just said was his responsibility to take the blame for.

"You have no dealings with Lady Catherine's actions because she didn't check with you first – not your fault. What happened to my mum was Mary and Mark scaring her nearly to death by eloping and her believing the lies people spread – not your fault. What I go through just by talking to you, whether it's Caroline or the girls around campus, is just because females find you attractive – not your fault. Charlie should have informed Jane because it's him who was interested in her, not you – not your fault. Wickham drugging me was on his own volition and would've happened if you weren't there – not your fault. The 'being an arse' and 'an arrogant fool' bits are your fault." Elizabeth explained, giving his hand a squeeze. She was going to tear down that overly guilty conscious if it was the last thing she did.

"You told me, growing up, Wickham did crap and blamed it on you. Now, you readily accept the blame because of always receiving it as a child. You probably still think you're at fault, but, before too long, I'm going to get you back to normal. Just you wait. I won't take any apologies from you that concern things that you've nothing to do with." She moved on from the subject, seeing Darcy open his mouth to argue. He closed his mouth with a little smile, shaking his head; it was obvious to Elizabeth what she said was true, that he still blamed himself.

"Also, 'cause you mentioned it, I'd like to thank you for what you did for my family. Y'know, getting the transfer and rehab in addition to all the bills… and for getting Charlie down to Galveston for Jane." Elizabeth murmured, looking at the ground instead of Darcy's face for once, an embarrassed blush bleeding across her cheeks. If he hadn't acted as he had, she might not be walking with him right then because of the hospital bills.

"… How did you find out? Are your aunt and uncle to be so little trusted?" Darcy asked a bit sharply, confusing Elizabeth.

"No, no! They're very good at keeping secrets – like Pemberley, for example. I found out through a nurse and badgered my aunt until she caved." Elizabeth rushed to her aunt and uncle's rescue, looking up, bewildered, at Darcy's face. A curious shade of pink was blotted across his face; she couldn't tell if he was going red out of ire or embarrassment. That doubt of what he felt made Elizabeth realize how well she knew but didn't know Darcy. It felt so strange that, when she really thought about it, she barely knew the man at all, and yet he was so very dear to her.

"Of course it was a nurse." Darcy laughed somewhat bitterly, glaring up at the sky momentarily before moving on. Elizabeth would've found out, eventually; it didn't make too much of a difference she found out sooner rather than later. He stopped walking, pulling Elizabeth to a halt as well.

"When I did it, it was all for you, Ellie; you must know that. It hurt me, watching you like that… I never want to see you in pain again. You have bewitched me, body and soul. I wanted you to know that…" _I love you_. The words unspoken were conveyed when Darcy took Elizabeth's face between his palms, leant down, and kissed her. His fingers threaded through her hair, warm, callous thumbs pressing firmly against her temple. Elizabeth, though she was caught off guard at first, took advantage of the situation by threading her hands through his thick locks for the first time; she'd seen him do it so many times, tempting her to do the same. Darcy took his time before pulling away, smiling softly.

"You're really short, you know."

Elizabeth kicked him, hard, in the shin.

"Oi! That hurt! What was that for?" Darcy exclaimed, jumping away to rub his bruised shin.

"For ruining the moment, _jerk_." Elizabeth huffed, walking away.

"But it's true! And I'm not going to apologize since I didn't have anything to do with your genetics." Darcy teased, smirking even though Elizabeth couldn't see. She whirled around, pointing a slender finger at him.

"You, Old Fart, are so not eating lunch with me." Elizabeth waggled her finger at him, not expecting the tickle-attack that ensued. Darcy was able to wrangle Elizabeth's permission to join her for lunch again along with a classic movie-dinner date through his assault.

**A/N**: _(1) lorry = 18-wheeler. And if any of y'all weren't sure what Lady Cat was saying to Darcy, she was basically saying don't get mouthy with me and calling Elizabeth a narrow-sighted brat. :3_

_(2) There are many classes to take, and I'm not going to pick one and accidentally be wrong. I'm also pretty sure the branch that would have the classes Elizabeth would take would be in the Austin one, so, nyeeeh._

_Well, this was another quick update, wasn't it? I'm not positive how fast the next one will come out since Spring Tennis has started (along with the Aussie Open – go Roger!); Spring Tennis equals tournaments every Friday. Tournaments every Friday equals make-up work to be done over the weekend. Catch my drift? :P So, yeah._

_Edit: Don't kill me, please? –runs and hides- Okay, no this is not a (completely) new chapter because… well, those extra 2-grand or so words I tacked on the end? Yeah, they were the entire next chapter, minus the epilogue. :| Not kidding, guys. I thought the whole "not your fault" thing was going to be a whole lot longer than it actually turned out to be and couldn't, for the life of me, figure anything but mindless fluff (that I probably can't pull off) to fill in the remaining 5-grand or so with. … Well, yeah. I'm not sure how long the epilogue will be, but it'll be done soon (hopefully). Sorry again, guys!_

_~ Tobi_


	16. Epilogue

**Write My Name On A Sidewalk and Hope It Stays  
>Rated<strong>: T  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: I disclaim any and all ownership over Pride and Prejudice and anything else copyrighted that I've mentioned/alluded to/etc.  
><strong>Dedication<strong>: You. :) (Yes, you as in whoever is reading this. Thank you so much for finishing my story!)  
><strong>Songs<strong>: Crash and Burn and Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden  
><strong>Reviewers (who literally make my day, y'all are epic)<strong>:  
><span>Harriate Slate-Thing-Hari-Hu<span>: Lol, then I know a Lady Cat you'd like even more. Yes, yes it is.  
><span>Amona<span>: I'm glad you've enjoyed it. :) Why don't you like 'Old Fart'?  
><span>Clarinetto14<span>: Thank you! :3  
><span>Downtown austen<span>: Thanks. Neither do I! XD  
><span>HappyAbbey<span>: Seems legit, lol. Thanks. C: Well, it's not original, just rare; I honestly think Lady Cat would like Elizabeth if their situation were different. But that's just me.  
><span>Cvtperez<span>: Thank you for reviewing. :)  
><span>ShameOnMe2<span>: No, you really don't. I'm curious – where have you seen Lady Cat liking Elizabeth before? I've only seen it done once. You deserve a platter of cyber cookies for knowing who Richard is and seeing North and South. :D  
><span>Merrilymary<span>: Aw, thanks! Well, yeah, you probably do, but you never know for sure. ;P  
><span>CMonline<span>: Don't be! It's all cool! And your excuse is top notch, too. ;) Thank you.  
><span>Stormgirl23<span>: Thank you! :D  
><span>Cellophanesoldiers<span>: So far? This is the last chapter! :P Thank you.  
>Amelette: Yes, yes it is. I'm sorry I'm killing you! Do you need a potion or a Phoenix Down? :P<br>xxPrideandPrejudicexx: I'm sad it's ending, too. C: Thank you for R&R-ing. 

**- Epilogue -**

The last weeks of school bled into summer while Charles' arrival and Darcy infiltrating Elizabeth's life. At the beginning, it seemed odd and perhaps a tad clingy the way Darcy just showed up on Elizabeth and Jane's doorstep with nothing but a smile plus an offering of iced hot chocolate. The time never mattered when he showed up unannounced, be it right before Elizabeth's classes or nearly ten in the night. Over time, Elizabeth grew accustomed to it and expected Darcy, disheartened when the practice ended with the ending of the school year. When Charles arrived not even three days after summer break started, more often than not, Darcy took Elizabeth back to his flat. Surprisingly, in that first week of summer after weeks of dating, it was Elizabeth's first time setting foot inside the place. Internally, she expected something grad, but it was just a simple place with hardly a thing set around to personalize it besides the decidedly masculine taste in furniture.

That changed when Elizabeth practically lived in it. Darcy could only smile when he got there by himself and found an odd book lying around, a jacket strewn on the floor, and the dirty dishes adorning the skin and countertops. What he saw as a temporary home was turning into something more, thanks to Elizabeth and her adamant opinion that, if he wasn't going to make the apartment looked lived in, she would. When they weren't together, a phone was glued to both their ears to make sure the other wasn't lonely; Jane and Charles accused Elizabeth and Darcy, respectively, of being a worse "sickeningly happy" couple than them even though Elizabeth and Darcy never went a day with out an argument, trivial or not. When school had been going on, Darcy was able to coerce Elizabeth into four dates a week, but with summer holding more hours of idle nothingness than productive ones, Elizabeth found herself with Darcy every night either at his apartment or at a restaurant. Sometimes she even woke up on his couch, squished between him and the back of it; as summer wore on, it became a normal occurrence.

When summer finally melted into fall and Charles left, Elizabeth gave up spending her days at Darcy's apartment to make sure Jane wasn't alone. By the time Thanksgiving passed, Jane had blatantly told Elizabeth that Darcy was lonelier than she was and that Elizabeth should at least spend her weekends at his place; she was under the assumption Elizabeth had done more than just sleep at night with Darcy when she couldn't have been further from the truth. Despite the searing kisses, wandering hands, cold showers Elizabeth knew he took, and the sometimes-grouchy attitude that led to fights, Darcy said nothing about taking the final step, and, for that, she was grateful. The mere thought of it terrified her to no end for reasons she couldn't name.

Christmas was a strange affair. Charles came down from Harvard only to be told, if he wanted to see Jane, he'd have to see all the Bennets while Darcy was denied any access to Elizabeth. Ignorant of his true nature and all he'd done for them, none of the Bennets but Elizabeth and Jane accepted him, therefore making him banned from their household; with all of Meryton under the same unawareness, Darcy wasn't sure he sure he would have particularly enjoyed being watched by everyone's distrustful eyes. Still, he tried to convince Elizabeth to let him come with her, Charles, and Jane to no avail.

"I love you, Fitzwilliam, and I don't want to see you become everyone's punching bag just for my sake. I'd crack and tell them what you did, and I know you don't want that to happen. You'd be watched even more to go along with fresh gossip." Elizabeth's words shocked them both. For her, she hadn't realized how strongly she felt for him until the words spilled from her mouth at the thought of her mother's harping. For Darcy, he'd said the three magic words many times over with the added addition of, "I don't need to hear your reply now, as long as I have the chance to someday," but what shook him was that Elizabeth finally said it with out him saying it first at a totally random time like it was natural. The grin that it brought to his face haunted Elizabeth the whole time she visited her family; she couldn't wait to get back to him. When Jane noticed Elizabeth growing antsy two days after Christmas, she decided to fib and say she'd left her school work that was due the first day back at their apartment; Charles, who'd grown restless himself from wanting to be alone with Jane and from the incessant pestering and inquiries from Faye Bennet, as well as Elizabeth were eternally grateful to her for doing so.

However, when Jane and Elizabeth reached their apartment with Charles in tow the next day, there was a message on their answering machine for Elizabeth from Darcy stating that he was visiting Georgiana for the holidays; she was unable to see him until the day before New Years. Darcy came bearing gifts for them and told Elizabeth, if she was nice, she'd get another present on New Years. What she expected was something akin to an inside joke item or even racy PJs in jest, but what she received was the key to Darcy's apartment along with his request that she'd move in with him (or, if was too early, she could keep the key so she could have access to his abode when she wanted). Elizabeth didn't answer right away, wanting to consult with Jane first because she knew that it was, perhaps, too soon for her to be moving in with him, but deep down inside, she honestly wanted to.

"Lizzie, I know you think mom's advice is rubbish, but, in this instance, it's not. Do what your heart tells you to, okay?" was all Jane offered. Elizabeth ended up procrastinating until the last day of their break to agree to move in with Darcy. She was glad to having agreed since mundane tasks suddenly became enjoyable or even adventurous when Darcy was around. For example, if Elizabeth was washing the dishes, Darcy never let her do them alone; he was always either hugging her from behind, becoming an adorable nuisance, or he stuck the dirty dishes in the dish washer and put the clean ones away. Following his lead, Elizabeth was happy to mimic his actions when he did the dishes, et cetera. Winter melded into spring, and Darcy convinced Elizabeth to spend her whole Spring Break with him at Pemberley to leave Charles and Jane alone in Dallas. She spent an exhilarating week touring Derbyshire and the grounds of Pemberley hugging Darcy for dear life on the back of his motorbike or seated on C.S. or Epona's back with Darcy behind her leading the horse. Elizabeth was sure Darcy wouldn't be able to end their week in England with something exceptionally grand as he had the year previous by saving her mother, but she was struck wordless when he came pretty damn close.

Saturday night, the last night they'd be spending at Pemberley, Elizabeth exited the shower to see a post-it stuck to the bed post telling her dinner would be on the back patio written in Darcy's hand. Smiling to herself, thinking he'd gotten a romantic candle-lit dinner to be the cherry on top of a brilliant Spring Break, Elizabeth descended the stairs to the first floor and walked down the halls until she reached the back doors. The sight that greeted her upon opening the doors rendered Elizabeth speechless.

The sun dipping into the horizon lit up the back patio, and it was outfitted by portable heaters, the loved plaid blanket Elizabeth remembered from her first picnic with Darcy, a couple of oil lamps for when the sun went fully down, and what looked to be a decadent dinner. Darcy, looking handsome as ever in dark wash jeans and a gray sweater that complimented his eyes, was sitting criss-cross-applesauce on the blanket, an old looking cherry wood guitar in his lap; the guitar case rested closed by his side. Elizabeth had learned early on in their relationship that he knew how to play a few songs from wanting to perform duets for friends and family with Georgiana when she started playing the piano, but Elizabeth had never heard him play or even seen him with a guitar before. She had asked him to play for her a few times, but Darcy had flatly refused, saying he wasn't very good (from not practicing on top of not having the talent for it) and was even worse at singing.

"Finally going to play for me?" Elizabeth joshed, joining Darcy on the blanket. Darcy smirked, running his hand through his hair; she recognized this as a nervous or vexed habit of his. Since he looked particularly pale, Elizabeth could only guess he was anxious but not why.

"If you promise not to laugh at how awful I am." Darcy replied, sounding earnest, killing Elizabeth's original idea to tease him more.

"Pinkie promise." She said, holding out her hand, smallest phalange erect.

"You're absurd, Love, you know that?" Darcy couldn't help but smile toothily at Elizabeth, curling his pinkie finger around hers, sealing the deal.

"You love me for it, though." Elizabeth snickered, sticking her tongue out at him.

"That I do, that I do." Darcy laughed, rearranging himself to where he was on one knee, the guitar propped up on it. With the lie of that being the only way he could play on the ground, Elizabeth didn't expect a thing.

"Hey there, Ellie, what's it like at Pemberley? I'm two seconds away, and, Love, tonight you look so pretty, yes you do. Nothing can shine as bright as you; I swear it's true." If Elizabeth hadn't recognized his playing, the changed verses would have clued her in on that Darcy was doing a personalized version of "Hey There, Delilah" by the Plain White T's.

"Hey there, Ellie, don't you worry about anything. I'm right here if you get sad since you gave this man another try. Close your eyes, listen to my voice; it's my ultimate demise. But now I'm at your mercy… and, I'm, eh, going to skip the chorus…" Darcy trailed off awkwardly, a pink flush covering his cheeks; it seemed he was regretting his decision. Elizabeth smiled widely at him even though she was hiding back a laugh, hoping he'd continue.

"Er, right… Hey there, Ellie, I know I was an arse at first, but just believe me girl, you've changed me completely. I've done everything for you; I'll be the man you need, it's true. My word is good." As awkwardly as he'd stopped, Darcy continued, not meeting Elizabeth's eye, for he was watching his sweaty fingers strumming the strings, hoping his memory served him right about the notes.

"Hey there, Ellie, I owe you so much thanks. If every confession I gave you would be as beastly(1) as the first, I'd take it all. Even if we can laugh about it now, I'd love to take it back. A year ago seems pretty far, but they've got Doctor Who's… oh, no, wait…" Darcy stopped again, this time in the middle of a note. His eyebrows came together in confusion, and the shaky smile he'd been wearing was replaced by a contemplative frown.

"Well, there goes that verse. I don't remember it…" Inwardly, Darcy berated himself. Why did he have to be such a romantic?

"Hey, I applaud you for doing this well. You're not half bad at playing, but your voice could sure use a bit of help." Elizabeth grinned at him, still clueless as to what he was really doing, thankfully. His voice, despite being effortlessly beautiful when he spoke, was jumpy at best with horribly squeaky high notes when he sang; it didn't help that he was singing incredibly soft. Elizabeth wasn't an expert at the guitar, but Mark Jones had taught her a few notes once. What Darcy was doing was beyond her skill, so she commended him. Besides, the poor sap looked sick.

"I'm not done, either, so you'd best get used to suffering through this to humor me." Darcy winked, gaining a bit of confidence form her words; in his mind, if she didn't mind his playing, that was an amazing feat by itself.

"Well, I'd die for you if I had no other option. Aunt Catty and Caroline would make fun of us, and we'll just laugh along because we know that neither of them have felt this way." Darcy continued. He used his aunt as an example even though he knew she had been in love, once, before it had made her bitter with her husband's death. It was a small, personal revenge for all of what she had done.

"Ellie, I can promise you, that by the time we pass on, the man I am will never ever be the same, and you're to blame. Hey there, Ellie, you be good and please don't screw with me. A few more years and you'll be done with school, and I'll be making history like I do – just not by singing about you." A little giggle escaped Elizabeth at the last line, and she looked horrified until she noticed Darcy was grinning, laughing with her.

"You know it's all because of you. We can do whatever you want to, but please don't leave me. Hey there, Ellie, here's to you. This one's for you, and _only_ for you. Oh, it's what you do to me… Oh, it's what you do to me… Oh, it's what you do to me." Darcy paused, taking a deep breath. His heart was beating like mad, and his mind was giving him worst-case scenarios that weren't even possible. Elizabeth thought he was done when he opened the case, putting the guitar gently inside and was about to start clapping in addition to giving him a hug when something caught her eye.

Darcy held his breath when he held the little velvet box, already opened to reveal the sparkling piece of jewelry within it, in front of him. For nearly the first time in his performance, he met Elizabeth's eyes; his were shining with hope and apprehension while hers were wide in shock.

"Ellie, will you marry me?" Darcy finished his rendition softly, smiling at the blush spreading across her cheeks like wildfire.

"You – you are the most – the most _stupid_, romantic _fool_ I've ever known." Elizabeth said shakily, forgetting about actually having to answer; all she could think to do was hug Darcy close to her, hoping to feel an erratic heartbeat that matched hers.

"I love you for it, though." She whispered, tears pricking at her eyes. Darcy hugged her back tightly, wondering if that counted as a yes or no. He'd been insecure because it had only been about a year since they'd started dating, but he was an impatient, passionate man. Darcy couldn't see his future without Elizabeth, so he thought it wouldn't matter if he proposed sooner rather than later. Currently, he was reconsidering this.

"I love you, too, Ellie… but, ah, is that a 'yes', a 'let me think about it', or a 'no'?" Darcy questioned shakily.

"What do you think it is?" Elizabeth asked, pulling back and smiling warmly at him.

"Well, I don't know – you took long enough deciding whether to move in with me or—"

Elizabeth silenced him with a kiss, exultant laughter bubbling within her throat.

"Fitzwilliam Benjamin Darcy, that is a definite yes. I can't have Caroline thinking she still has a chance with you! You're mine and mine alone, so don't you dare forget it."

Darcy only stared at her in wonder; he was positive Elizabeth Bennet (Darcy, in his mind) would never cease to amaze him.

"Yes, ma'am."

**A/N**: _(1) To the English, beastly means unpleasant. :)_

_Whhheeeee, it's done – I'm sorry it took so long! And you reviewers gave me over 100 freaking reviews! Y'all are awesome; thank y'all so much! Cyber cookies/cakes/cupcakes/Nutella/candy for all! …I can't believe I finally finished a chaptered fic (in less than a year, too!). TTuTT I'm not sure if FF likes lyrics from songs, but I doctored them and all that… so, eh. (I will not apologize for a cheesy proposal. :P) I think I'll go over this story and correct mistakes sometime (like when I have things like "half" for "hand"… yeah, I don't know how that happened, either). Maybe over the summer break, maybe not. Keep your eyes out for me, yeah? I've got another modern (somewhat darker) P&P on the way. ;)_

_~ Tobi_


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